Please clarify Article 137 of the UAE Labour Law! What constitutes "abandons his work at his own initiative"? A friend has completed a three-year fixed contract and then one additional year on an indefinite basis with the same company. He wants to resign and has been told resignation means he is only entitled to two-thirds of what he would normally receive. Does resigning constitute "abandonment at one's own initiative?"
CW
No, it absolutely does not. The phrase "abandonment at one's own initiative" refers to people who leave employment without notice, not someone who gives formal written notice in accordance with the requirements of their contract. This, sadly, sounds like another example of an employer trying to bend the law to their benefit. There is nothing in the labour law that states that end-of-service benefits are reduced should someone resign from a position. CW's friend should politely advise his employer that there has been a misunderstanding, but if they refuse to pay his full entitlement, I suggest he contact the Ministry of Labour.
May I ask you if you know of any banks in the UAE that will let me open a company account without a resident visa? I have a company account with HSBC here in Lahore, and I would like to open the same account with HSBC here. My bank has written to them but they have not as yet replied.
HZK Lahore, Pakistan
To my knowledge, it is only possible to open a business account with a bank in the UAE if the company is formally registered here, whether as an LLC, a free zone company or as a recognised branch office of a firm. The banks will require you to produce a trading licence.
A few weeks ago I arrived home after work to find that my neighbours, without my permission, had entered my garden and cut down some trees that were slightly overhanging onto their property. This has damaged the trees and reduced my privacy. When I spoke to my neighbours they just shrugged and said it was done now and the trees would grow back. Do I have any rights here, and is there anything I can do to stop them doing this again?
IE Dubai
You certainly do have rights. Your neighbours were trespassing, and they have illegally damaged your property. If they do so again, you should call the police immediately. Unfortunately, the damage has been done, but you can contact Dubai Municipality and ask them to get involved. If the trees are proven to be on your property according to the plans held by the Municipality, then you have the right to request damages from your neighbours in the amount determined by the Municipality. Both owners and tenants may take this action.
I rented an apartment in October last year and paid the rent in one cheque, as I received a discount for doing so. I have now been given the option to transfer to my company's office in Cairo, which I would like to do. I have spoken to the agents who arranged the rental and they have said that if I want to leave early I am not entitled to a refund. This seems very unfair, so can you tell me what I can do about it?
GW Al Ain
You signed a contract for a full year, so if you vacate early you are not entitled to a refund. The contract is legally binding on both parties and is also designed to protect you from being asked to leave early should it suit the landlord. Neither party may terminate the contract without the consent of the other party. My suggestion: ask the landlord if you could be released from the obligation and receive a refund if you find him a replacement tenant. As he would not be financially disadvantaged there is a good chance he would agree and I know of a few cases where this has been the case.
Keren Bobker is an independent financial adviser with Holborn Assets in Dubai.
Write to her at keren@holbornassets.com
Letters can also be sent to onyourside@thenational.ae
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20ASI%20(formerly%20DigestAI)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202017%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Quddus%20Pativada%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Artificial%20intelligence%2C%20education%20technology%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%243%20million-plus%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20GSV%20Ventures%2C%20Character%2C%20Mark%20Cuban%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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South Korea
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More Iraq election coverage:
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Turkish Ladies
Various artists, Sony Music Turkey
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE
Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:
• Buy second hand stuff
They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.
• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres
Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.
• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.
Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.
• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home
Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, semi-final result:
Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona
Liverpool win 4-3 on aggregate
Champions Legaue final: June 1, Madrid
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, semi-final result:
Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona
Liverpool win 4-3 on aggregate
Champions Legaue final: June 1, Madrid
Scoreline
Al Wasl 1 (Caio Canedo 90 1')
Al Ain 2 (Ismail Ahmed 3', Marcus Berg 50')
Red cards: Ismail Ahmed (Al Ain) 77'
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
Employment lawyer Meriel Schindler of Withers Worldwide shares her tips on achieving equal pay
Do your homework
Make sure that you are being offered a fair salary. There is lots of industry data available, and you can always talk to people who have come out of the organisation. Where I see people coming a cropper is where they haven’t done their homework.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate
It’s quite standard to negotiate if you think an offer is on the low side. The job is unlikely to be withdrawn if you ask for money, and if that did happen I’d question whether you want to work for an employer who is so hypersensitive.
Know your worth
Women tend to be a bit more reticent to talk about their achievements. In my experience they need to have more confidence in their own abilities – men will big up what they’ve done to get a pay rise, and to compete women need to turn up the volume.
Work together
If you suspect men in your organisation are being paid more, look your boss in the eye and say, “I want you to assure me that I’m paid equivalent to my peers”. If you’re not getting a straight answer, talk to your peer group and consider taking direct action to fix inequality.
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
MATCH INFO
Day 2 at the Gabba
Australia 312-1
Warner 151 not out, Burns 97, Labuschagne 55 not out
Pakistan 240
Shafiq 76, Starc 4-52
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Borussia Dortmund v Paderborn (11.30pm)
Saturday
Bayer Leverkusen v SC Freiburg (6.30pm)
Werder Bremen v Schalke (6.30pm)
Union Berlin v Borussia Monchengladbach (6.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Wolfsburg (6.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldof v Bayern Munich (6.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Cologne (9.30pm)
Sunday
Augsburg v Hertha Berlin (6.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Mainz (9pm)
Green ambitions
- Trees: 1,500 to be planted, replacing 300 felled ones, with veteran oaks protected
- Lake: Brown's centrepiece to be cleaned of silt that makes it as shallow as 2.5cm
- Biodiversity: Bat cave to be added and habitats designed for kingfishers and little grebes
- Flood risk: Longer grass, deeper lake, restored ponds and absorbent paths all meant to siphon off water
more from Janine di Giovanni
MATCH INFO
World Cup 2022 qualifier
UAE v Indonesia, Thursday, 8pm
Venue: Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Zayed Sustainability Prize
