Unemployment Insurance (ILOE): Who is Eligible and How to Claim

Categories excluded from the scheme: investors (owners of the establishment where they work), domestic helpers, workers on temporary employment contracts, juveniles under the age of eighteen, and retirees entitled to a pension who have joined a new job.

• The insured employee's subscription to the ILOE scheme must not be less than twelve consecutive months.
• All insurance premiums must have been paid in accordance with the selected payment schedule.
• Proof that the insured employee's unemployment resulted from a cause other than resignation.
• The employee must not have been dismissed for disciplinary reasons under the law regulating labour relations in the private sector, or the human resources law of the federal government.
• The claim must be submitted within thirty days of the date the employment relationship ended, or of the date a labour complaint referred to the courts was decided.
• The insured person must not have an outstanding work-absence complaint against them.
• The claim must not be made through fraud or deception, and the establishment where the employee worked must not be fictitious.
• The job loss must not have resulted from strikes or non-peaceful labour stoppages.
• The insured person must be legally present in the country.
• The job loss must not have resulted from a state of emergency declared by the country, such as war, civil unrest, radiological, nuclear, biological or chemical contamination arising from a terrorist act, or the expropriation or nationalisation of the employer's establishment.

Submitting the claim: the insured person submits the claim to the insurance service provider within thirty days of the date the employment relationship ended, or of the date a labour complaint referred to the courts was decided.

Review and disbursement: the insurance service provider must review the claim and transfer the compensation within a maximum period of two weeks from the date a complete claim, with all required documents, is received.

Claim channels: the ILOE website, its dedicated smart application, the designated call centre, and any other channels determined by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation in coordination with the insurance pool.

Key Legal Deadlines

• 12 months: the minimum period of continuous subscription before compensation becomes payable.
• 30 days: the deadline for submitting a claim from the date the employment relationship ended or a labour complaint was decided.
• Two weeks: the maximum period for the insurance service provider to disburse compensation after receiving a complete claim.
• 3 months: the maximum compensation period for each individual claim.
• 12 months: the overall maximum period of benefit over the insured person's entire working life in the country.

Practical Tips for Submitting a Claim

• Confirm that your subscription has been continuous for twelve months before your job loss.
• Submit your claim within thirty days of the end of your employment relationship to avoid forfeiting your right to it.
• Keep evidence of the reason your service ended, and that it was not a resignation or a disciplinary dismissal.
• Confirm there is no outstanding work-absence complaint against you before applying.
• Review your subscription category and registered subscription salary to ensure your compensation is calculated correctly.

Legal References

• Federal Decree-Law No. (13) of 2022 Concerning Unemployment Insurance
• Cabinet Resolution No. (97) of 2022 Concerning the Procedures and Controls for Implementing the Unemployment Insurance Scheme
• Ministerial Decision No. (604) of 2022 Regarding the Unemployment Insurance Scheme
• Ministerial Decision No. (340) of 2023 Regarding Amendments to the Penalties Associated with the Unemployment Insurance Scheme

Awadh Almheiri Law Firm and Legal Consultations is the first destination for anyone searching for an ILOE insurance lawyer in Dubai or an ILOE claims expert. We provide specialised employment law services covering the review of compensation eligibility conditions, follow-up on rejected claims before the insurance service provider, and representation of employees in ILOE insurance disputes. Whether you are looking for the best labour lawyer in Dubai or legal counsel for an ILOE insurance claim, our team is ready to provide comprehensive legal advice that protects your rights.

Our legal services in ILOE insurance are not limited to the Emirate of Dubai alone. Awadh Almheiri Law Firm and Legal Consultations provides labour law and ILOE claims expertise across all seven Emirates without exception, from Abu Dhabi to Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. Our team has the legal expertise required to review your entitlements, follow up your claims, and represent you in any dispute relating to ILOE insurance before the competent authorities in each of the country's seven Emirates.