How to turn UAE’s Eid Al Etihad public holiday into a nine-day break
Strategies to maximize annual leave and turn a short public holiday into a longer break
Dubai: There is only one public holiday left this year - Eid Al Etihad. While the official duration has not yet been announced for either government or private sector employees, the break could potentially extend to four or even five days.
If you are already thinking about how to stretch your remaining annual leave for a longer break, you are not alone. With the year coming to an end, many employees may have only a few days of paid leave left.
Maximising annual leave in the UAE depends on your company’s leave policy and your employment contract. Ultimately, your employer has the final say on approving or rejecting any leave request. To make the most of your time off, you will need to plan carefully around weekends and official holidays.
How to get nine days off for Eid Al Etihad 2025
Official public holiday:
Tuesday, December 2
Wednesday, December 3
Weekends:
Before the holiday: Saturday, November 29 – Sunday, November 30
After the holiday: Saturday, December 6 – Sunday, December 7
Take annual leave on:
Monday, December 1
Wednesday, December 4
Thursday, December 5
This is essentially 'sandwich leave' where your annual leave days are booked around a weekend or public holiday, so the non-working days are included in your leave balance.
By taking these days off, you could enjoy a longer break and use minimal days from your annual leave allowance.
How long is the Eid Al Etihad public holiday?
There’s a possibility of a five-day weekend if the UAE government declares Monday, December 1, as an additional day off. This would extend the break from Friday, November 28 to Wednesday, December 3.
Last year, the National Day public holiday fell on Monday, 2 December and Tuesday, December 3 with work resuming on Wednesday, December 4. As Saturday and Sunday are regular weekends, this meant a four-day break for most residents.
Know your leave type: Calendar days vs working days
Before you start planning, it’s important to check your company’s leave policy and understand whether your annual leave is calculated in calendar days or working days - this makes a significant difference in how much time off you actually get.
Under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, employees in the UAE are entitled to 30 days of annual leave per year of service. However, how this leave is calculated determines whether public holidays are included.
Calendar days: Public holidays falling during your leave period are counted as part of your annual leave. For example, if you take 10 calendar days off and two of those days are public holidays, those holidays are included in your 10 days.
Working days: Public holidays are not counted within your leave and are added to your overall break, effectively extending your time off.
Tips to effectively manage your annual leave
To make the most of your limited leave balance, keep the following in mind:
Plan and request early: Especially around peak seasons such as school holidays or festive periods.
Use official channels: Always submit leave requests through your company’s approved system for transparency.
Be flexible: Offer alternative dates if your request conflicts with business needs or operational demands.
Why your leave request might be rejected
While most employers aim to accommodate leave requests, particularly around popular holiday periods such as Eid Al Etihad, the winter school break, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve - there are several reasons your leave might still be denied.
Operational needs: Critical roles may face restrictions during high-demand periods such as year-end or budget season.
Overlapping requests: Multiple employees requesting the same days off could lead to prioritisation based on business impact.
Late submissions or insufficient balance: Frequent or last-minute requests are more likely to be rejected.
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