Getting operational
Employment and DEWS administration
Compliant contracts, payroll, DEWS enrolment and terminations
In short
We draft contracts that meet the DIFC Employment Law, run payroll, enrol employees in DEWS and calculate contributions, and manage terminations so that the 14 day final payment rule is met rather than discovered afterwards.
What you get
- Employment contracts compliant with DIFC Law No. 2 of 2019
- Employee handbook and policies including discrimination and grievance procedures
- Payroll processing and WPS-equivalent arrangements
- DEWS enrolment and monthly contribution calculation
- Pre-2020 gratuity crystallisation checks for long-serving staff
- Termination process, final settlement calculation and settlement agreements
Timeline: Ongoing, with setup in 2 to 3 weeks
Terminations are where the money is lost
Article 19 gives an employer 14 days from termination to pay everything owed. Miss it and a penalty accrues at the employee's daily wage for each day of delay, uncapped. Disputing a bonus does not stop the clock on the rest.
The discipline is simple. Calculate the undisputed amount, pay it within the window, and deal with the contested element separately. Employers who do this rarely end up in the Small Claims Tribunal. Employers who hold everything back while they argue usually do.
Questions
What is the DEWS contribution rate?
5.83 per cent of monthly basic salary for employees with less than five years of service, and 8.33 per cent for five years or more. Employees can contribute voluntarily on top.
What happens to gratuity accrued before February 2020?
It was crystallised as at the date DEWS started and remains payable. It is either transferred into DEWS or held by the employer and paid on termination. Long-serving employees are the ones most likely to challenge a settlement that gets this wrong.
Not sure which DIFC licence you need?
Answer eight questions and we will tell you the licence route, the likely cost and the realistic timeline. It takes about two minutes and there is no obligation.