# What is DEWS?

DEWS stands for DIFC Employee Workplace Savings.

DEWS is the funded workplace savings scheme that replaced end-of-service gratuity for most DIFC employees, requiring monthly employer contributions to a regulated trust.

## DEWS explained

Rather than accruing a gratuity liability payable at exit, DIFC employers contribute monthly to DEWS at a percentage of basic salary that increases with length of service. The funds are held in a regulated trust and belong to the employee.

This converts an unfunded end-of-service liability into a predictable monthly cost, and requires payroll to calculate and remit contributions every cycle rather than provision for a lump sum.

## Related terms

- [DIFC](https://neuralhr.ai/en/hr-glossary/difc): DIFC is a Dubai financial free zone with its own employment law, DIFC Employment Law No. 2 of 2019, which applies instead of the federal UAE Labour Law.
- [End-of-service gratuity](https://neuralhr.ai/en/hr-glossary/gratuity): End-of-service gratuity is the lump sum a UAE employer owes an employee with at least one year of continuous service, calculated on basic salary under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021.

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Canonical page: https://neuralhr.ai/en/hr-glossary/dews
Last verified: 2026-08-01

Published by NeuralHR.AI — AI-native HR and payroll platform for the UAE, Saudi Arabia and India.