My husband owes a lot of money on credit cards to three different banks. He spent the money without my knowledge and it is going to take a long time to repay it. I am concerned that if something happens to him, I would have to pay it back and will not be able to support my parents and children. I don't have any debts, but what happens to a person's debt if they die in the UAE? MG, Sharjah
Under the UAE law, only the person whose name is on the debt is accountable for it and that applies whether it is a mortgage, a personal loan or a credit card. A spouse is only liable if a debt is in joint names, they have provided a security cheque or they are a guarantor.
If any person dies and has outstanding debts in the UAE, the surviving spouse is not directly responsible and should not be asked for repayment. That said, any debt should be settled from the estate of the deceased before money can be passed to any beneficiary. This is one of the many reasons why proper life insurance is advisable if there are debts and/or dependents.
In this situation, the debt is not in MG’s name, so she is not personally liable, but the outstanding debt could affect what she would receive from any money left from her husband's estate if he dies.
I have just renewed my third two-year work visa for a company in Mussafah. I am three months into the contract but want to cancel it as I am bored. Can I cancel it without the company forcing me to pay for my visa and other expenses? They expect me to pay for their costs in bringing me to the UAE. KO, Abu Dhabi
It is unfortunate that KO agreed to renew the visa as he will now be penalised if he breaks the terms of the contract. It doesn’t matter how long an employee has been with a company, Article 116 of the UAE Labour Law applies.
This states: “Should the contract be rescinded by the worker … the worker shall be bound to compensate the employer for the loss incurred thereto by reason of the rescission of the contract, provided that the amount of compensation does not exceed the wage of half a month for the period of three months, or for the remaining period of the contract, whichever is shorter, unless otherwise stipulated in the contract.”
This means that KO can be penalised for the equivalent of 45 days of salary if he resigns.
This is legal if a fixed-term contract is broken but no employer is permitted to pass on any costs that they have incurred in employing any staff. This is covered in Ministerial Order 52 of 1989, Article 6a, which makes clear that the employer is “responsible for the recruited labourer, the bearing of his recruitment expenses” and this cannot be passed on, no matter the circumstances.
It is mandatory for employers and sponsors to provide Dubai Health Authority compliant medical insurance
My boss told me that our company medical insurance was being renewed and that I would be able to claim back any costs. When I was ill, I consulted a doctor and paid the bill myself, but when I tried to make the claim, the insurance company told me it wasn't valid. My boss now says it will be sorted but we are left without cover. What is the legal position and what can the staff do? NF, Dubai
It is mandatory for employers and sponsors to provide Dubai Health Authority compliant medical insurance in accordance with the Dubai Health Insurance Law No.11 of 2013. Article 10 of this states: “The employer shall be obliged to do the following: 1.) Provide health insurance coverage for employees, in accordance with the health insurance policy applicable … 3.) Verify that the health insurance of the employees is valid for the length of their work period.”
This is backed up by Article 96 of the UAE Labour Law: “The employer shall provide the workers with the medical care means in accordance with the standards determined by the Minister of Health and Social Affairs, and in conjunction with the Minister of Health.”
If an employer fails to provide the required cover, a complaint can be registered with the Dubai Health Authority and they can impose penalties on the employer for breaking the rules, in accordance with Article 23 of the relevant law.
Fines of Dh500 per member can be issued for each month the cover is not in place and visas cannot be renewed or new ones issued. The fees can accumulate and additional penalties can be applied to as much as Dh500,000.
I suggest that NF ask his employer to cover the costs of his medical expenses as they have a legal obligation to provide medical insurance. He should not have to bear these costs.
Keren Bobker is an independent financial adviser and senior partner with Holborn Assets in Dubai, with more than 25 years’ experience. Contact her at keren@holbornassets.com. Follow her on Twitter at @FinancialUAE
The advice provided in our columns does not constitute legal advice and is provided for information only
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More coverage from the Future Forum
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Fast%20X
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
SQUADS
South Africa:
JP Duminy (capt), Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock (wkt), AB de Villiers, Robbie Frylinck, Beuran Hendricks, David Miller, Mangaliso Mosehle (wkt), Dane Paterson, Aaron Phangiso, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Tabraiz Shamsi
Bangladesh
Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Imrul Kayes, Liton Das (wkt), Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim (wkt), Nasir Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Shafiul Islam, Soumya Sarkar, Taskin Ahmed
Fixtures
Oct 26: Bloemfontein
Oct 29: Potchefstroom
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Wednesday and the pair embraced but he failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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