I have an outstanding credit card debt from last year. As a result of financial difficulties and constant pressure from the bank's collectors, I avoided their calls and eventually changed my contact number. A year has passed and I assume they have filed a police case against me. What would the status of my case be after a year? Could I already be sentenced in absentia? Do you think I should go to the bank now and ask for a settlement if a year has already passed? And, lastly, if I can pay the debt in full, would I still go to prison? I'm still in the UAE and I've found a stable job but I can't afford to go to prison and then not be able to pay them.
Whether the bank has or has not filed a police complaint against you is at its discretion and the only way to find out would be for you to approach the police and/or bank and ask. The court system is such that there is no definitive answer to what the status of a case may be after a particular period of time. I would advise you to approach the bank to settle the claim as soon as possible because if you settle, the bank will provide you with a release letter to close any criminal case and any punishment would be null and void.
If a person dies in an accident at work in the UAE, is his direct family either here or abroad entitled to compensation? What are the proper legal steps that the family should do to get compensated if they are entitled to it?
Generally speaking yes, if a person dies in an accident (provided the accident was beyond his control or not his own fault) then his heirs would be entitled to compensation and all his benefits with his employer. The family should appoint a legal representative who can then apply to court for legal succession to list heir names and then proceed with other legal steps such as claiming the compensation or collecting the blood money from the concerned party. It is important that the heirs approach a UAE lawyer as soon as possible to assist them.
A pool cleaner in my neighbourhood says he is under a limited contract visa and wants to leave his job some months before the contract ends in April 2016. He would like to leave by this October. He knows he has to give a month's notice but wanted to know: a) can he do this and leave before his contract ends? and b) if the employer refuses to let him go early, what should he do?
He can terminate his contract before it ends but, in this case, the employer would be entitled to claim 45 days of the employee’s salary as compensation, which is detailed in article 116 of the labour law. If the employer refuses to let the employee end the contract then the latter can approach a labour office to terminate the contract but he would still have to pay the 45 days’ compensation to his boss.
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