Dubai marriage leave: 4 conditions you must meet

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, in his capacity as Ruler of Dubai, issued a decree on Wednesday regarding marriage leave for Dubai government employees.

This decree aims to enhance psychological and family stability, strengthen the foundations for successful family life at its inception, and achieve a balance between personal life requirements and professional duties and responsibilities.

Who does the decree apply to?

The decree applies to Emirati employees working in government entities and authorities overseeing special development zones and free zones, including Dubai International Financial Centre. It also includes Emirati judicial authority members and Emirati military personnel in the emirate.

According to the regulations stipulated in the decree, an employee is entitled to 10 working days of marriage leave with full pay. The decree also permits employees to combine marriage leave with any other leave they are entitled to under the human resources legislation applicable to their workplace.

What conditions should employees meet?

The decree specifies the conditions for granting marriage leave, which include:

• The employee must be an Emirati staff working with a Dubai government

• The spouse of the female employee or the spouse of the male employee must be an Emirati citizen

• The employee must have successfully completed the probationary period as per the human resources legislation applicable to their workplace or as determined by the workplace

• The marriage contract must be attested by the competent authority in the UAE and concluded after December 31, 2024.

What is the employee entitled to?

During the marriage leave period, the employee is entitled to their full gross salary, including all allowances and financial benefits stipulated by the human resources legislation applicable to their workplace.

The employee may use the marriage leave at any time, either continuously or intermittently, within one year from the date of concluding the marriage contract.

The government entity may approve the carry-over of marriage leave or any part thereof to the following year, based on serious reasons provided by the employee and with the approval of their direct supervisor.

Can an employee be recalled from leave?

The decree also stipulates that the government entity may not recall an employee during the marriage leave period, with the exception of military personnel. In such cases, the remaining period of marriage leave shall be extended after the completion of the recall period. If an employee is recalled during marriage leave to perform national and reserve service, or if they are unable to use marriage leave for the same reason, the marriage leave, or any remaining days, shall be carried over to after the employee completes their national and reserve service, provided that the marriage leave or remaining days are used within one year from their return to work.

In the event of an employee's transfer or appointment to another government entity, they retain their right to marriage leave or any part thereof if they have not utilized it during their employment with the previous government entity.

The decree is effective from January 1, 2025.