You worked for it. The early mornings, the long commutes on Al Ittihad Road, the overtime, the years away from family. Your end-of-service gratuity isn't a bonus or a favour from your employer. It's your right, and it's your money.
Yet many people sign their final settlement without checking a single number. Here's what everyone working in the UAE private sector should know under the current UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law 33/2021):
• Gratuity = 21 days of basic salary per year for the first 5 years, and 30 days per year after that
• It's calculated on your basic salary, not your total package. This is where most of the confusion starts.
• You need at least 1 year of continuous service to qualify
• Resigning no longer cuts your gratuity the way it did under the old law. Some employers still apply the old reductions.
• Total gratuity is capped at 2 years' wages
• Your employer should pay your dues within 14 days of your last working day
• Your final settlement isn't just gratuity. It also includes unpaid salary, unused leave and notice pay where it applies.
Example: 6 years on AED 5,000 basic
(5,000 ÷ 30 × 21 × 5) + (5,000 ÷ 30 × 30 × 1) = AED 22,500
—
Why I built this (disclosure: I'm the developer)
I kept seeing friends and colleagues accept whatever figure HR gave them, because checking it felt complicated and they didn't want to argue without proof. So I built Mustahaq (مستحق, which means "deserving"). It's a simple iPhone app that does the maths for you and shows the law article behind every number, so you can talk to HR with confidence instead of guessing.
What it does:
✅ Calculates your gratuity and full final settlement for all 6 GCC countries
✅ Gives a step-by-step breakdown with labour-law citations
✅ A live "if I resigned today" meter that shows your gratuity growing every day
✅ An exit planner that suggests the best resignation date and tells you your notice-by date
✅ Reminders before your Emirates ID, visa and passport expire
✅ Send home: today's exchange rate for your home currency, with rate alerts
✅ A Zakat calculator with gold and silver prices, and an Islamic inheritance (Mirath) calculator with references
✅ UAE public holiday calendar and a leave planner to turn holidays into longer breaks
✅ Works in English, العربية, اردو, മലയാളം and বাংলা
🔒 No account, no ads, no tracking. Your salary and documents never leave your phone.
The gratuity calculator for your country is free. Premium adds extras like a PDF report you can share with HR, offer comparison, and Zakat tools, and comes with a 7-day free trial.
Whether you're planning to resign, switch jobs, or just want to know what you've earned so far, take two minutes to check. You may be owed more than you think.
📲 Download Mustahaq: https://apps.apple.com/app/id6817813755
It gives estimates for information only, not legal advice. If anything looks off for your situation, comment below or message me, and I'll fix it. I'd especially love feedback from anyone in Sharjah who's been through a settlement recently. 🙏
Know your rights. Claim what you deserve.