UAE End-of-Service Gratuity Calculator
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Under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, Article 51, every expatriate private-sector employee who completes at least 1 year of continuous service is entitled to an end-of-service gratuity at contract end — regardless of whether they resigned, were terminated, or the contract simply expired. The 2022 Labour Law removed the old resignation penalty, so the entitlement is now identical across exit types.
The calculator below applies the Article 51 formula to your service period and basic wage. It uses the post-2022 unified rules. UAE nationals (covered by the GPSSA pension instead), DIFC employees (DEWS scheme), and ADGM employees (employer-chosen scheme) have separate regimes.
UAE Gratuity Calculator
Estimate only. Calculation reflects Article 51 of Federal Decree-Law 33/2021 (in force 2 February 2022). It does not account for DIFC DEWS substitution, the optional MoHRE Savings Scheme, or per-employer contract terms. Verify against MOHRE before relying on the figure.
Enter your joining date, last day of work, and basic monthly salary to estimate your gratuity under FDL 33/2021 Article 51.
How the calculation works
The Article 51 formula
- Years 1–5 of service: 21 days' basic wage per year.
- Year 6 onward: 30 days' basic wage per year.
- Partial years after year 1: prorated.
- Daily wage: basic monthly wage ÷ 30.
- Basis: basic wage only — allowances (housing, transport, bonuses, commissions, overtime, benefits in kind) are explicitly excluded by Article 51.
- Maximum cap: total gratuity cannot exceed 2 years' basic wage (Article 51(6)).
- Payment deadline: 14 days from termination (Article 53).
- Claim limitation: 2 years from the date the entitlement became due (Article 54(9)).
Workers enrolled in the MoHRE Savings Scheme (mainland, opt-in) or DEWS (DIFC, mandatory) receive fund contributions + investment returns for the period of participation instead of the Article 51 lump sum.
What to do next
What to do with the calculated amount
- Verify HR's number against yours. Employers sometimes calculate using gross wage instead of basic, miss the year-5 transition, or apply the 2-year cap incorrectly. Demand a written breakdown.
- Confirm the 14-day deadline (Article 53) is being met. The settlement should include final salary + accrued leave pay + gratuity + repatriation airfare. Missing the deadline triggers MoHRE fines of up to AED 20,000 per worker.
- Don't sign a release if the number is wrong. Settlement forms typically include "full and final settlement" language — once signed, recovery is harder. Insist on the correct number first.
- If short-paid: file a MoHRE complaint via the app, mohre.gov.ae, or the 600 590 000 hotline. Free, no lawyer required. Mediation takes 3-4 weeks; failed mediation gets you a Labour Court referral letter.
- Claim limit: 2 years from termination date. Beyond that, Article 54(9) bars the claim.
Worked example
Worked example
Ahmed worked 7 years at a Dubai mainland employer. Basic wage on the last day: AED 8,000/month. Daily wage = 8,000 ÷ 30 = AED 266.67. Years 1–5 = 21 days × 5 = 105 days × 266.67 = AED 28,000. Years 6–7 = 30 days × 2 = 60 days × 266.67 = AED 16,000. Total = AED 44,000. The 2-year cap (192,000 AED in his case) is comfortably clear. He gets the same amount whether he resigned or was terminated — the 2022 law removed the old penalty.
Where to file
Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) — www.mohre.gov.ae · Helpline: 600 590 000
MoHRE handles all mainland UAE private-sector labour disputes. Free, multilingual, 24/7. Mediation is the gateway to the Labour Court for unresolved claims.
Common questions
Does resignation reduce my gratuity?
No — not under the new law. The old 1/3 (1-3 years) and 2/3 (3-5 years) reductions on resignation from unlimited contracts were abolished by Federal Decree-Law 33/2021. Resignation, termination, and expiry now all trigger identical gratuity.
What if I'm dismissed for gross misconduct?
You still receive full gratuity. Article 44 (dismissal for gross misconduct under FDL 33/2021) does NOT forfeit gratuity. Employers who claim otherwise are legally incorrect.
Does gratuity include housing and transport allowance?
No. Article 51 is explicit — gratuity is calculated on basic wage only. Allowances (housing, transport, bonuses, commissions, overtime, benefits in kind) are excluded.
What if I worked in DIFC?
DIFC employees are covered by the DEWS funded savings scheme (since 1 February 2020), not Article 51. Pre-DEWS DIFC service (before that date) is preserved separately and paid as a lump sum on exit per the DIFC transitional rules.