UAE Sets Out Rights that Family Can Claim from Employer Following Worker’s Death
- UAE Labour Law sets out the financial rights that a worker's family can claim from an employer following the worker's death
- The law gives employers a strict 10-day window to pay outstanding wages, entitlements, and end-of-service gratuity to the deceased worker's family
- Workers in the UAE can name a specific family member in writing to receive their entitlements if they die
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The UAE's Labour Law gives workers' families the legal right to claim outstanding wages, financial entitlements, and end-of-service gratuity from an employer following a worker's death, with a firm deadline set for payment.
Under Article 15 of the UAE Labour Law, an employer has no more than ten days from the date of a worker's death, or from the date the employer learns of the death, to hand over all financial dues to the worker's family.
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These dues include any unpaid wages and the full end-of-service gratuity calculated in line with the law and its executive regulations.
How workers can prepare before death
The law also allows workers to plan ahead. A worker may put in writing the name of a specific family member to receive their entitlements in the event of their death.
This written designation takes effect under the same article and gives the chosen family member a clear legal basis to claim those funds.
Repatriation of the worker's body
Beyond financial obligations, the employer is also required to cover all costs related to preparing and transporting the deceased worker's body to their home country or usual place of residence, provided the worker's relatives request this. The employer bears these costs in full.
In situations where it is not possible to hand over a worker's entitlements to family members or other rightful beneficiaries, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation may work with relevant authorities to set up a mechanism to retain and safeguard those funds until they can be properly transferred.
Key deadlines and employer obligations
1. Pay all wages and financial entitlements within ten days of the worker's death or the employer's knowledge of it
2. Include the full end-of-service gratuity in that payment
3. Honour any written instruction the worker left naming a specific family member as the recipient
4. Cover the full cost of preparing and repatriating the worker's remains, if the family requests it
The provisions reflect the UAE's broader framework for protecting migrant and resident workers, ensuring that death does not result in financial loss for the families left behind.
Salary requirements for sponsoring family visa in UAE
Legit.ng earlier reported that the UAE government has outlined the minimum monthly salary that residents must earn before they can sponsor a visit visa for a family member or friend in 2026, with the required amount varying based on the relationship between the sponsor and the visitor.
Source: Legit.ng
