Final settlement checklist: what to check before you sign

The final settlement is the last chance to catch a mistake cheaply. Once you've signed a clearance saying you've received all your dues, fixing an error becomes a formal dispute. These checks take less than an hour.

Checking the gratuity

1. The wage figure. Saudi Arabia uses basic salary plus fixed allowances. The UAE and Qatar use basic salary only. Bahrain uses basic plus any fixed social allowance. Make sure the right figure was used, and that it's your last wage, including any recent pay rise. See which salary counts.
2. The service period. Check the start date against your contract and the end date against your last working day. Confirm that any unpaid leave deducted was genuinely unpaid.
3. How your exit is classified. In Saudi Arabia, resignation reduces the award, while the end of a fixed term, employer termination, force majeure and the Article 87 exceptions don't. Make sure the classification matches what actually happened.
4. The rate steps. Check that the higher rate was applied after year five in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and after year three in Bahrain.
5. The cap and minimum. In the UAE, the two year cap only affects very long service. In the UAE and Qatar, the one year minimum must be met.

Checking other dues

6. Final month's salary for the days actually worked, including any notice period you worked.
7. Unused annual leave, which is normally paid out on exit in all four countries. Check the number of days and the daily rate used.
8. Notice pay, if the employer asked you to leave without working your notice period.

Checking deductions

9. Every deduction should be explained and documented. Employers can generally deduct amounts you genuinely owe, such as an outstanding loan or advance agreed in writing. They can't simply withhold gratuity as a penalty, or to recover recruitment or visa costs that the law places on the employer.

The paperwork

10. Read the clearance or settlement form before signing. If it states that you have received all your dues and waive any further claims, only sign once the figures are right. If a specific amount is still disputed, note it on the form or confirm it in writing before you sign.

Also ask for an experience or service certificate. In Saudi Arabia and the UAE the employer is required to provide one on request, and it confirms your dates of service for future reference.

If something is wrong

Write to HR, set out the difference and cite the article of the labour law that applies. Most errors are corrected at this stage. If they aren't, our guide to claiming unpaid gratuity explains the official complaint routes and the time limits in each country. Run your own figure through the calculator first, so you know exactly what you're asking for.