Dismissed or Made Redundant in the Gulf: What You Are Owed

When a Gulf employer ends your job you are owed your notice or pay instead of it, and your end of service money. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman list misconduct cases where the end of service money can be lost. On top of that, an unjustified dismissal can earn an extra award: a set formula in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, a range in Oman, an amount set by the court or committee in Kuwait and Qatar, and in the UAE only when the dismissal was retaliation for a complaint or lawsuit.

Bahrain's law gives a redundancy payment, at half the dismissal award. The UAE, Kuwait and Qatar laws set none; in Saudi Arabia and Oman, ask the labour ministry.

You are owed notice of 30 to 90 days or notice pay (Art. 43), gratuity of 21 days' basic a year for 5 years and 30 days after (Art. 51), and all dues within 14 days (Art. 53). Closure and insolvency end the contract, and the Decree-Law has no redundancy payment (Art. 42). A court award of up to 3 months' wage applies only if you were dismissed for a serious complaint to MoHRE or a lawsuit that is proven valid (Art. 47).

Full guide: dismissed or made redundant in the UAE. Figures: UAE gratuity calculator.

An employer that ends an indefinite contract without a valid reason pays 15 days' wage per year of service, and at least 2 months' wage (Art. 77). You also get 60 days' notice or notice pay if you are paid monthly (Arts. 75 and 76) and the full end of service award, because the Art. 85 cuts are for resignation. A contract ended during probation gives no award (Art. 54). Everything is due within a week (Art. 88).

Full guide: dismissed in Saudi Arabia. Figures: KSA calculator.

• No dismissal without a reason. The law forbids ending a worker's service without reason, for trade union activity or for claiming legitimate rights (Art. 46).
• Arbitrary dismissal. You can appeal to the Labour Circuit. If a final court judgment finds the dismissal arbitrary, you get your end of service indemnity and compensation for material and moral damage (Art. 41(c)). The law sets no formula for the damages.
• Indemnity. In full when the employer ends the contract: 15 days' wage a year for the first 5 years and a month a year after, up to one and a half years' wage for monthly-paid workers (Arts. 51 and 52).
• Notice. At least 3 months in writing for monthly-paid workers on an indefinite contract (Art. 44).
• Fixed-term contract ended early. Compensation of up to your wage for the rest of the term (Art. 47).
• Closure or bankruptcy. The contract expires and the indemnity is paid in full (Arts. 50 and 52). There is no separate redundancy payment.
• Misconduct. For some acts listed in Art. 41(a) the employer may end the contract without notice or indemnity. For the acts in Art. 41(b) it may dismiss you, but you keep your indemnity.

Claims go to the PAM labour department first, which refers unsettled cases to court within one month (Art. 146). They are not heard after one year from the end of the contract (Art. 144). Steps: labour complaint in Kuwait. Figures: Kuwait indemnity calculator.

• Notice. An employer may end the contract with notice of 1 month in the first two years and 2 months after, or pay for the notice (Art. 49).
• Arbitrary dismissal. A dismissal penalty can be challenged: first a grievance to the employer within 7 days, then to the Labour Department within 7 days, then an appeal to the Labour Disputes Settlement Committee. If the committee finds the dismissal arbitrary or against the law, it either cancels it and reinstates you with pay for the time you were out of work, or orders appropriate compensation (Art. 64). The law sets no figure.
• Economic reasons. Before ending contracts for economic or structural reasons, the employer must notify the Ministry at least 15 days ahead, with written reasons (Art. 52). The law sets no redundancy payment.
• Gratuity. At least 3 weeks' basic wage per year after one year, except on summary dismissal under Art. 61 (Art. 54).

Steps: labour complaint in Qatar. Figures: Qatar gratuity calculator.

• Notice. An indefinite contract can be ended for a legitimate reason with 30 days' written notice for monthly-paid workers and 15 days for others, or pay for the notice on your gross wage (Art. 38).
• Arbitrary dismissal. Compensation of 3 to 12 months' gross wage, plus your gratuity and notice pay (Art. 11).
• Deadline. Complain within 30 days of being told of the dismissal (Art. 10). You must apply to the Ministry of Labour before going to court (Art. 9).
• Gratuity. At least one month's basic wage per year of service, for workers outside the Social Protection Law until its savings system starts (Art. 61). It is lost in the summary dismissal cases of Art. 40.
• Redundancy. Ask the Ministry of Labour what applies if your job is cut.

Steps: labour complaint in Oman. Figures: Oman gratuity calculator.

An indefinite contract ended without a valid reason after the first 3 months gives 2 days' wage per month of service, at least 1 month's and at most 12 months' wages (Art. 111). Redundancy gives a bonus of half that (Art. 110). On BHD 600 a month with 5 years of service, taking a day's wage as a thirtieth of the monthly wage, that is BHD 2,400, or BHD 1,200 for redundancy. File within 30 days of the contract ending (Art. 135).

Full guide with worked examples: dismissal compensation in Bahrain. End of service figures: Bahrain calculator.

• Ask for the dismissal and its reason in writing, and keep your contract and payslips.
• Work out your end of service money with the calculator for your country, then compare it with what you were paid using the settlement checker.
• Put your dates in order with the leaving plan.
• If you are not paid, file a complaint: where to file in each Gulf country.
• Check your unemployment insurance cover.