Knowing your actual entitlements under current UAE labour law puts you in a stronger position at every career stage. Here's the checklist.
The Checklist
- ☐ Check your annual leave, notice and other core entitlements — UAE Labour Law Calculator
- ☐ Calculate your actual gratuity under current 2021 rules — Salary & Gratuity Calculator
- ☐ Check whether your current salary is competitive for your role and experience — UAE Salary Checker
- ☐ Keep your CV updated in the UAE-expected format — UAE Resume / CV Builder
- ☐ Tailor your cover letter for each specific role you apply to — Cover Letter Generator
Checking these figures periodically — not just when resigning or negotiating — means you always know where you stand, rather than scrambling to calculate everything at the moment it suddenly matters.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should gratuity and leave be recalculated?
Whenever your basic salary changes or a significant time has passed, since these figures compound over your tenure.
Is it appropriate to check market salary while still employed?
Yes — understanding your market position is useful context whether or not you're actively job-hunting, especially ahead of a performance review.
Does this checklist apply to free zone employees the same way?
Most free zones follow federal labour law for these core entitlements, though it's worth confirming for your specific free zone.
Should the CV be updated even without an active job search?
Keeping it current periodically makes it much easier to apply quickly when an opportunity does come up, rather than starting from scratch.
Is a single cover letter template sufficient for multiple applications?
Tailoring to each specific role generally improves response rates over reusing one generic version everywhere.