After nearly a decade in Dubai, I recently resigned from my job to move back home. The whole process was a whirlwind, especially when it came to calculating my end-of-service benefits. I thought I had it all figured out, but I quickly realized that what you hear about gratuity calculator Dubai and what's actually in the UAE Labour Law can be two very different things.

I made a few mistakes based on some common misconceptions, and I want to share what I learned so you don't have to learn it the hard way. Here are five myths I wish I'd known the truth about before I handed in my notice.

Myth #1: "If you're on a limited contract, you get NO gratuity if you resign early."

This was the biggest one for me. I was on a two-year limited contract and wanted to leave after 18 months. My colleagues told me I’d have to forfeit my entire gratuity. This is not entirely true!

The Reality: According to Article 53 of the UAE Labour Law, if you're on a limited-term contract and have completed more than one year but less than five years of service, you are entitled to one-third (1/3) of your gratuity payment. It's not the full amount, but it's definitely not zero. Leaving that money on the table would have been a huge mistake.

Myth #2: "Your notice period doesn't count towards your total service time."

I always assumed that the clock stops the day you resign. So, if I resigned with 4 years and 10 months of service and had a 2-month notice period, I thought my gratuity would be calculated on the 4 years and 10 months.

The Reality: Your notice period is absolutely part of your employment. Your final service duration is calculated up to your last working day. In my example, my total service would be exactly 5 years, which significantly bumped up my gratuity calculation from 21 days per year to 30 days per year for that final year. Don't shortchange yourself!

Myth #3: "They can deduct the cost of your annual leave flight ticket from your gratuity."

My company provided an annual flight ticket home as part of my benefits. I had just used it three months before I resigned. A rumor was going around the office that if you leave shortly after taking your flight, the company can claw back the cost from your final settlement.

The Reality: A company cannot deduct expenses like flight tickets or visa costs from your end-of-service gratuity unless there's a specific court order allowing it. Gratuity is a legally protected right. Benefits and gratuity are treated separately.

Myth #4: "If you're terminated for any reason, you automatically lose your gratuity."

This is a scary one that employers sometimes use to their advantage. A friend of mine was terminated for "performance issues" and was told he wasn't entitled to anything.

The Reality: An employer can only deny you your gratuity under very specific circumstances outlined in Article 52 of the Labour Law, such as gross misconduct (like causing a major financial loss or being intoxicated at work). Being terminated for reasons like redundancy or general "poor performance" does not automatically disqualify you from receiving your end-of-service benefits.

Myth #5: "The company's internal policy is the final word on gratuity."

My company's handbook had a section on end-of-service benefits that was a bit vague and slightly different from what the law stated. Initially, I just accepted what HR told me based on their policy.

The Reality: A company's internal policy can NEVER override the UAE Labour Law. If their policy offers more than the law (for example, calculating gratuity on the full salary instead of just the basic), that's great! But if it offers less, the law always wins. Always, always check your calculation against the official legal framework, not just the company handbook.

I hope my experience helps you navigate your own journey. Don't rely on office gossip—do your own research!