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Employees in the UAE are entitled to generous statutory leave entitlements to ensure sufficient time for rest, health, and family responsibilities. Leave entitlements are defined under federal labour law and apply to all employees, whether local or expatriate.
Employees are entitled to 30 calendar days of paid annual leave per year of continuous service (or 2 days per month if service is between 6 months and 1 year). Leave not taken must be paid out on termination.
In addition to annual leave, employees are entitled to six UAE public holidays, which typically include:
Both Eid holidays & Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday dates change each year by 2 weeks.
In addition to annual holidays and public holidays, employees in the UAE are entitled to a range of statutory leave types that cover health, family, and personal circumstances.
Employees are entitled to up to 90 days of sick leave per year after completion of probation. The first 15 days are paid in full, the next 30 days are paid at half salary, and any additional leave is unpaid. A medical certificate may be required for absences.
Female employees are entitled to 60 days of maternity leave, with the first 45 days at full pay and remaining 15 days at half pay. This entitlement applies after probation is completed. Additional unpaid leave may be granted if the employee suffers from illness due to pregnancy or childbirth.
Female employees are also entitled to 1 hour of breastfeeding every working day for 6 months after childbirth.
Male employees are entitled to 5 working days of paid paternity leave, to be taken within 6 months of the child’s birth.
Employees with at least 2 years of service, enrolled in a recognised institution, are entitled to 10 working days of unpaid study leave per year.
Employees are entitled to 5 days of leave in the event of the death of a spouse and 3 days in the event of the death of a parent, child, sibling, grandchild, or grandparent.
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