Working in the UAE? Here are 9 paid leaves you’re legally entitled to

Dubai: Whether you're juggling full-time work with your studies or adjusting to life with a newborn, the UAE Labour Law provides private sector employees with access to paid leave for life’s key moments.

While the Dubai government recently introduced a 10-day marriage leave for Emirati employees in the government sector, private sector workers are covered under a different framework. The UAE Labour Law outlines various types of paid leave that employees are entitled to.

Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 specifies the categories of paid leave available, including annual leave, sick leave, maternity leave, and public holidays.

Here are nine types of paid leave that private sector employees on the UAE mainland are entitled to under the law.

Employees who have completed one year of full-time service are entitled to 30 days of paid annual leave. Workers who have completed six months of service can take two days off per month.

It is also important to note that a company cannot employ a worker continuously for two years without granting him or her annual leave, according to Article 29, clause 8 of the UAE Labour Law.

Part-time workers are also entitled to annual leave, with the number of annual leave days calculated on the basis of the working hours specified in their employment contract. Click here to learn more about how leaves for part-time workers are calculated.

As per Article 21 of the UAE Labour Law, private sector employees are entitled to at least one day of paid rest per week, and companies may also decide to increase the number of weekly rest days.

Under Article 28, a worker is entitled to official leave with full pay on public holidays. If workers are required to work during public holidays, they should be compensated for working during the leave days.

Workers who have completed the probation period are entitled to a sick leave of not more than 90 days per year.

The 90 days’ sick leave can be continuous or intermittent, and the salary is paid as follows:
• Full pay for the first 15 days
• Half pay for the next 30 days
• No pay for the remaining 45 days.

However, during the probation period, the employee may take a sick leave without pay, subject to the approval of the employer and based on a medical report issued by an authorised medical entity.

The UAE’s Labour Law grants private sector employees in the UAE parental leave of five working days from the date of their child’s birth to six months. This is a paid leave and can be applied for by the mother and father of the baby.

Working mothers in the UAE’s private sector are entitled to a maternity leave of 60 days, out of which:

• 45 days will be a fully-paid leave; and
• 15 days will be on half-pay

You may apply for this maternity leave up to 30 days before the expected delivery date.

Workers pursuing higher education in the UAE can take a paid 10-day leave every year to sit for examinations.

The employee must be a student attending an educational institution in the UAE and should have completed at least two years of service with the employer.

Bereavement or compassionate leave is for employees, in case of the death of a close relative or family member.

The number of days of leave may vary slightly, with the UAE Labour Law providing five days of paid bereavement leave for the death of a spouse and three days paid leave in the event of the death of a parent, child, sibling, grandchild or grandparent.

As per the UAE Labour Law, Emiratis working in the private sector are entitled to a paid sabbatical leave (extended break from work) to perform national service. According to Federal Law No. 6 for 2014 on National Military Service and Reserve Force as amended, it is mandatory for all medically fit Emirati men to accomplish the national service after obtaining the approval of National and Reserve Service Committee of UAE Armed Forces' General Command.

This article was published on August 9, 2024 and has been updated since.