Final Payslip — What Should It Show? Complete Checklist

A final settlement is the total amount your employer owes you when your employment ends. It is not just your last salary — it is a comprehensive payout that bundles several entitlements into a single payment (or a series of payments).

In the UAE and KSA, labour law defines exactly what must be included in your final settlement. Your employer cannot cherry-pick which components to pay. If you worked the days, accrued the leave, or earned the gratuity — it must appear on your final payslip as a separate, identifiable line item.

This guide walks you through every component that should appear, how to verify the amounts, what deductions are lawful, and what to do if something is missing.

Your final settlement should include all of the following components (where applicable):

1. End of Service Benefit (EOSB / Gratuity) — The lump-sum payment calculated based on your years of service and basic salary. This is typically the largest component. Use our UAE EOSB Calculator or KSA EOSB Calculator to verify the amount.
2. Unused annual leave payout — Any accrued but untaken annual leave must be paid out in cash. This is calculated at your full daily rate (basic salary + allowances in the UAE; basic salary + fixed allowances in KSA).
3. Notice period compensation — If your employer terminated you without serving the full notice period, you are owed pay in lieu of notice. Conversely, if you resigned without serving notice, the employer may deduct this amount.
4. Unpaid salary and wages — Any outstanding salary for days worked but not yet paid, including the partial month up to your last working day.
5. Repatriation ticket — In the UAE, your employer must provide a one-way ticket to your home country (or the equivalent cash value). In KSA, the employer must bear the cost of repatriation unless the employee resigned.
6. Overtime and commission — Any unpaid overtime hours, commission, or performance bonuses that were earned before your last working day.
7. Other contractual benefits — Some contracts include relocation allowances, education allowances, or other benefits that may have a pro-rata payout on termination.

Under UAE Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021, your final settlement in the UAE should include:

Important: Under the 2021 law, there is no resignation penalty for EOSB in the UAE. If your employer is applying a deduction for resignation, this is incorrect under the current law.

The employer must pay your final settlement within 14 days of your last working day (Article 53).

Under the KSA Labour Law (Royal Decree M/51), your final settlement should include:

Note: KSA resignation reductions do not apply if the employee is female and resigns within 6 months of marriage or 3 months of childbirth — full EOSB is owed regardless of service length.

The employer must pay your final settlement within the period stipulated in the contract. If no period is specified, the Ministry of Human Resources recommends payment within one week of the last working day.

Use this checklist to verify every item on your final payslip. Check each row and confirm the amount matches your calculation.

Use our Settlement Checker to enter your details and get a personalised breakdown of what your final settlement should include.

Not everything on your final payslip is a credit. Employers can make lawful deductions, but these must be documented, agreed-upon, and within legal limits.

Lawful Deductions

• Outstanding salary advances or loans — If you received a salary advance or personal loan from the employer, the remaining balance can be deducted. You should have a signed loan agreement showing the original amount, repayment schedule, and outstanding balance.
• Disciplinary fines — In the UAE, fines must not exceed 5 days' wages per incident and cannot exceed the total wages for that period. In KSA, no single fine can exceed 5 days' wages, and total monthly fines cannot exceed half the employee's wage.
• Unreturned company property — Laptop, phone, vehicle, uniform, access cards. The employer can deduct the fair market value (not the original purchase price) of unreturned items. Request a written list of items and their assigned values.
• Housing or accommodation costs — Only if your contract explicitly states that company housing costs are recoverable on termination. This is uncommon.
• Training cost recovery — Some contracts include a clause requiring you to repay training costs if you leave within a specified period. In the UAE, this is enforceable only if the training was genuinely external and the clause was in the original contract or a signed addendum.

Unlawful Deductions

• Visa costs / recruitment fees — In both UAE and KSA, the employer bears the cost of visa issuance and recruitment. These cannot be deducted from your final settlement.
• Arbitrary penalties — Fines without a documented disciplinary process are unlawful.
• Deductions exceeding legal limits — Total deductions in the UAE cannot exceed 50% of the employee's wage for that payment period.

Both UAE and KSA law set clear deadlines for when your employer must pay your final settlement:

UAE: The 14-day clock starts on the day after your last working day — not the visa cancellation date. If day 14 falls on a Friday or public holiday, the deadline is the next working day.

KSA: If your contract has no explicit payment deadline, the Ministry of Human Resources advises that final dues should be settled promptly. Practically, most employers process within 1–2 pay cycles. If you have not received payment after 30 days, you should escalate.

In both countries, your employer cannot withhold your final settlement as leverage to make you sign a release or waiver. The amounts owed to you by law are non-negotiable.

If your final payslip is missing components or the amounts look wrong, follow these steps:

1. Step 1: Calculate independently — Use our UAE EOSB Calculator or KSA EOSB Calculator to calculate your EOSB. Multiply your daily rate by unused leave days. Check your contract for notice period terms.
2. Step 2: Request a written breakdown — Ask HR (in writing — email is best) for a line-by-line breakdown of every component in your final settlement. This creates a paper trail.
3. Step 3: Compare and flag discrepancies — Put your calculation side by side with the employer's breakdown. Flag specific line items that are missing or incorrect. Be factual, not emotional.
4. Step 4: Escalate internally — If HR does not resolve the issue, escalate to your direct manager or the company's legal/compliance team. Reference the specific law article that supports your claim.
5. Step 5: File a formal complaint
   • UAE: File a complaint with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) through the MOHRE app, website (mohre.gov.ae), or by visiting a Tasheel centre. MoHRE attempts mediation first. If unresolved within 14 days, the case is referred to the Labour Court.
   • KSA: File a complaint through the Musaned platform (musaned.com.sa) or the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD). An amicable settlement is attempted first. If unresolved, the case proceeds to the Labour Court.
6. Step 6: Do not sign a "full and final settlement" form that lists an amount you disagree with. Signing such a form can weaken your legal position. You can write "received under protest" next to your signature if pressured to sign.

Use our Letter Generator to create a formal complaint letter addressed to your employer or the relevant ministry.

Before accepting your final payslip, verify each component independently:

EOSB Verification

• Confirm your start date (from your original offer letter or contract, not your visa date)
• Confirm your last working day (not resignation date)
• Confirm your basic salary — in the UAE, EOSB is based on basic salary only; in KSA, it includes basic + fixed allowances (housing, transport)
• Run the calculation through our UAE or KSA calculator and compare

Leave Balance Verification

• Check your leave balance on your HR portal or request a written statement
• In the UAE, employees are entitled to 30 calendar days of annual leave per year (after 1 year of service). In KSA, it is 21 days (increasing to 30 days after 5 years).
• Partial years are calculated pro-rata
• Leave payout is at your full wage (not just basic salary)

Notice Period Verification

• Check your contract for the notice period length (commonly 30, 60, or 90 days)
• If your employer terminated you and waived the notice period, you are owed the full notice period pay
• If you resigned and your employer asked you to leave immediately, you are still owed pay for the waived notice period

Document Checklist

Gather these documents before your last day:

• Original employment contract (and any amendments)
• Last 12 months of payslips (to confirm basic salary and allowances)
• Leave balance statement from HR
• Loan or advance agreement (if any)
• Resignation acceptance letter or termination letter
• Company property return receipt / clearance letter