Rs 26 lakhs awarded to employee for not working a single day for four months. Here's what happened

A man in Abu Dhabi has been awarded AED 110,400 (approximately Rs 26 lakh) in unpaid wages, despite never having started work at the company that hired him. The decision came after a court ruled in the employee’s favour, highlighting that the delay in his joining was entirely the employer’s fault.

Employee Signed Contract But Never Got to Work

As per a report by Khaleej Times, the employee, whose identity has not been disclosed, signed a fixed-term employment contract with an Abu Dhabi-based company. The agreement promised a basic monthly salary of AED 7,200, with a total compensation package of AED 24,000. The contract covered the period from November 11, 2024, to April 7, 2025. However, despite this agreement, the individual was never actually permitted to begin work.

Frustrated by repeated delays and the absence of any opportunity to start his job, the man eventually filed a lawsuit seeking his withheld salary for the contract period. The court accepted his claim and ordered the company to compensate him for four months and 18 days of unpaid wages, after deducting eight days he admitted to being on leave.

Court Places Responsibility on Employer

The Abu Dhabi Labour Court held the employer accountable for the delay in onboarding. Citing Federal Decree-Law No. (33) of 2021, the court underlined that employers are legally required to pay wages on time, following standards set by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. It also referred to Article 912 of the Civil Transactions Law, which states that a worker's right to wages cannot be denied unless the employee has formally waived that right or acknowledged non-entitlement.

The court examined various documents including the wage report, employment contract, and case file, and found that the fault clearly lay with the company. The evidence confirmed that the delay was not caused by the employee, as the employer had failed to provide any proof of misconduct or absenteeism.

Employer’s Argument Rejected by Court

In response to the lawsuit, the company argued that the employee had taken leave and never reported to duty. However, the court found no records or documentation to support this claim. No formal investigation had been conducted into the employee’s alleged absence. Consequently, the court dismissed the company's justification and concluded that the employee's failure to start work was directly linked to the employer’s own inaction.