Screens against UAE Labour Law · nothing is uploaded
Is your contract actually legal?
Paste your employment contract below — we scan it for the clauses that most often break UAE Labour Law, in your browser, right now. Nothing is sent anywhere; the text never leaves this page.
What this actually does
A pattern scan, not a lawyer
This tool searches your contract's text for known Labour Law thresholds — probation length, notice period, non-compete duration, gratuity and governing-law clauses — and flags anything outside the legal range or unclear. It cannot read scanned images, understand unusual legal phrasing, or catch every possible issue. Treat every flag as a starting question, not a verdict — for anything red, verify with the Labour Law Q&A or a licensed employment lawyer before acting.
Six things it checks
The clauses that most often go wrong
Contract type
Flags "unlimited"/"indefinite" language — only fixed-term contracts have been valid since 2022.
Probation length
Legal maximum is 6 months, once. Anything longer gets flagged.
Notice period
Must be 30–90 days. Outside that range is a red flag.
Non-compete duration
Max 2 years — longer restrictions are generally unenforceable.
Gratuity clause
Checks your end-of-service benefit is referenced at all.
Governing law
Flags contracts that don't clearly cite UAE jurisdiction — unusual and worth review.
For the full rules behind every check, see the Labour Law Q&A.
What the scan looks for
The clauses that most often break UAE labour law
Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 replaced the previous employment law and changed several things that older contracts still get wrong. Contracts drafted before February 2022, or copied from a template that was, tend to carry the same handful of problems. The scan runs entirely in your browser, and nothing you paste is uploaded or stored.
The main ones
| Unlimited or indefinite term | All UAE employment contracts have been fixed-term since February 2022. A contract still describing itself as unlimited should have been converted. |
|---|---|
| Overbroad non-compete | A restriction has to be limited in time, place and type of work to be enforceable, and it should relate to a genuine business interest. A clause barring any competing work anywhere for several years is unlikely to hold. |
| Passport retention | An employer cannot retain your passport. A clause permitting it does not make it lawful. |
| Gratuity on total salary | Gratuity is calculated on basic salary. A clause implying otherwise is usually a drafting error rather than a benefit. |
| Notice outside the permitted range | Notice is generally between 30 and 90 days, and should be reciprocal between the parties. |
| Recruitment cost recovery | Charging an employee for the cost of their own recruitment or work permit is not permitted. |
What a flag means, and what it does not
A flag means the wording resembles a pattern that commonly conflicts with the law. It does not mean the clause is void, and it does not mean your employer acted in bad faith. Plenty of contracts carry legacy wording that nobody has revisited since the law changed, and most employers correct these once they are pointed out.
The scan reads text. It cannot see side letters, an employment offer that differs from the signed contract, or the free zone employment regulations that apply instead of the federal rules in some zones. DIFC and ADGM in particular run their own employment regimes, and a contract under those rules should be read against them rather than against this checklist.
If something looks wrong
Raise it with your employer first, in writing, and keep the reply. Most of these are fixed by a corrected contract. Where that fails, the route is a complaint to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, which attempts conciliation before the case moves to the labour court. The labour law guide covers that process, and the settlement calculator works out what you are owed on exit.
Common questions
Are unlimited employment contracts still valid in the UAE?
No. All employment contracts have been fixed-term since February 2022 under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021. A contract still described as unlimited should have been converted.
Can my employer keep my passport?
No. An employer cannot retain an employee's passport, and a contract clause permitting it does not make the practice lawful.
Is a non-compete clause enforceable in the UAE?
Only if it is limited in duration, geography and type of work, and protects a legitimate business interest. Very broad restrictions are unlikely to be enforced.
Is anything I paste into the analyzer stored?
No. The scan runs entirely in your browser. The contract text is not uploaded, stored or transmitted anywhere.