!The Challenge
A multinational construction and engineering company needed to restructure its GCC workforce following the completion of three major projects. The restructuring affected 340 employees across the UAE (mainland and DIFC), Saudi Arabia (under the new Labor Law amendments), Qatar, and Bahrain — each with different notice period requirements, end-of-service benefit calculations, non-compete enforceability standards, and Saudization/Emiratisation quota implications.
⚙Our Approach
GSDA designed a jurisdiction-specific restructuring playbook that addressed each country's requirements: UAE gratuity calculations under the new MOHRE regime; Saudi GOSI contributions and Article 77 termination compensation; Qatar end-of-service under the 2004 Labour Law; and Bahrain SIO and LMRA notification requirements. We developed standardised settlement templates adapted to each jurisdiction's language and form requirements, and conducted individual risk assessments for senior employees with non-compete clauses.
✓The Outcome
The restructuring was completed in 8 weeks with zero employment tribunal claims. All 340 separations were processed in compliance with local labor laws. The standardised playbook was retained by the client for future restructuring cycles.
Key Takeaways
- 1GCC workforce restructuring requires jurisdiction-specific settlement frameworks — one-size-fits-all templates create liability
- 2Non-compete enforceability varies significantly across GCC jurisdictions
- 3Saudization and Emiratisation quotas must be modelled before any headcount reduction