An Abu Dhabi court has dismissed a Dh120,000 compensation claim filed by a former employee who alleged that the wording of his termination letter caused reputational, financial, and psychological harm.
The Abu Dhabi Family, Civil and Administrative Claims Court ruled that the lawsuit lacked legal basis, noting that the employee had consented to the internal investigation conducted by his former employer and later agreed to a settlement facilitated by the Ministry of Human Resources.
The employee claimed that his original termination letter accused him of “gross misconduct” and “serious policy violations,” allegations he said damaged his professional standing and caused emotional distress. After he raised a complaint with the Ministry, the employer revised the termination letter, stating that the dismissal was based solely on management discretion. The claimant argued this revision proved the initial accusations were unfounded.
However, the court found that the employer’s actions did not amount to a legal fault warranting compensation. Judges emphasized that the worker had signed off on the investigation process and accepted an amicable settlement, which weakened his claim of wrongdoing.
Citing UAE civil law, the court stressed that compensation requires proof of unlawful conduct and direct harm. In this case, the court ruled that such proof was absent. The lawsuit was dismissed in full, and the former employee was ordered to pay legal fees and court costs.
