What are employees’ rights if terminated during probation?

Question: I am currently in my probation period at a mainland Dubai company. I have a feeling that I may be terminated. What is the procedure if I do get fired? What are my legal rights? Can I claim arbitrary dismissal while still under probation?

- Ashish Mehta

Answer: In the UAE, an employer may terminate the employment of an employee during the probation period by serving 14 days’ written notice to the employee. This is in accordance with Article 9 (1) of the Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulations of Employment Relations, which states, “The employer may employ an employee on probation for a period not exceeding (6) six months from the service commencement date. The employer may terminate the employee during such period by giving the employee (14) fourteen days’ prior written notice.”

However, the provisions of Employment Law are silent on whether an employer must specify a reason for termination of an employee during a probation period.