The United Arab Emirates is one of the most progressive countries in the Middle East. It not only provides the necessary tools for efficient remote work, but it also has a generous leave policy.

Although the UAE’s employment rules are stringent when it comes to leave policy, employers are nevertheless free to be flexible. Companies have the authority to establish internal leave rules and determine whether to grant or reject leave requests. You can also include selections for exceptional leaves, such as adoption or family care leave, in the UAE.

Between abiding by the law and exercising your liberty to interpret it as you see fit, there is a thin line. Probably the easiest way to comply is to deal with an employer of record that is multinational, like EOR Services. Analyze the UAE’s leave policies and how they might affect the expansion of your international business.

Public holidays

In the UAE, there are eight public holidays. This Arab nation observes some of these holidays over several days. Islamic holidays, on the other hand, are contingent upon lunar sightings, so dates are subject to yearly variation. The dates for 2023 are as follows.

Date	Holiday Name
January 1	New Year’s Day
April 20-23	Eid al-Fitr
June 27	Arafat Day
June 28-30	Eid al-Adha
July 21	Islamic New Year
September 29	Birthday of Prophet Muhammad
December 1	Commemoration Day
December 2-3	National Day

Annual leave

Employees in the United Arab Emirates are entitled to annual leave if they have been employed by the same firm for a minimum of six months. Following six months of continuous work, employees are entitled to two days of yearly leave. Upon completion of a minimum of one year of employment, employees are eligible for thirty days of paid yearly leave.

Part-time workers are also eligible for annual leave. The conditions and number of days are specified in their job contract, nevertheless.

A worker may roll over their annual leave into the next year. They can also make use of their accumulated leave days, which extend beyond a two-year period.

The employer may choose the dates of the employees’ yearly leave in accordance with the conditions of the employment agreement. The yearly leave takes precedence over any other holiday or leave that falls on the same day.

Maternity leave

In the United Arab Emirates, there are notable differences in maternity leave policies between the public and private sectors. A clear understanding of these distinctions is crucial for expecting mothers as they navigate this significant phase of their lives.

Public Sector:

At the federal level, the duration of maternity leave varies across Emirates:

• Abu Dhabi:
  3 months fully paid, accompanied by a 2-hour breastfeeding break for one year.
• Dubai:
  3 months fully paid, with flexible options such as requesting 30 days pre-delivery, combining with annual leave for a maximum of 120 days, and accessing additional childcare leave for babies with special needs, starting after maternity leave and ending when the child turns one year old.
• Ras Al Khaimah:
  90 days fully paid, along with a 2-hour breastfeeding break for one year.
• Sharjah:
  120 days, including 90 days fully paid and 30 days unpaid.

In general, public sector employees typically receive more extensive and generous leave packages compared to their counterparts in the private sector, with variations in duration and breastfeeding breaks based on the Emirate.

Private Sector:

Maternity Leave in the private sector is set at 60 days, consisting of 45 days fully paid and 15 days half-paid. Leave requests can be submitted 30 days before the expected delivery date. Additional leave includes 30 days fully paid if the child experiences health complications after birth, and an extra 30 days of unpaid leave may be granted if the child’s health challenges persist.

Breastfeeding break

When government employees return to work following maternity leave, their working hours will be cut by two hours for a period of four months. They can choose to take this break at the beginning or finish of the working day. This is known as the nursing break in the United Arab Emirates.

Mothers employed in the private sector are entitled to no more than two breaks each day. These fully compensated breaks cannot last longer than an hour in total. An employee may take a six-month leave of absence to breastfeed once they return to work.

Paternity leave

The UAE continues to be the trailblazing country in the Arab world, becoming the first to provide parental leave in the private sector. The late President H. H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan strengthened this program in 2020 by amending the labor legislation.

Private sector employees, irrespective of gender, are eligible to utilize the 5-day paid parental leave, whilst government personnel receive a 3-day paid paternity leave following the birth of their kid. This enables new parents to bond with their newborn for a significant amount of time, starting from the day of delivery and continuing until the child turns six months old. Crucially, moms who use parental leave do not lose any of their current right to maternity leave.

This forward-thinking policy encourages both parents to actively participate in childcare and early childhood development, reflecting the UAE’s dedication to creating a helpful and family-friendly work environment.

Study leave

Workers may be qualified for study leave if they need time off for educational purposes. A ten-day study leave that is completely paid is available in the UAE. The goal is to make it easier for employees to prepare for and take exams. To be qualified for this leave, you must meet the following two requirements:

• This is a recognized educational facility in the United Arab Emirates.
• The worker must have spent at least two years in the company.

Sick leave

In the United Arab Emirates, an employee is entitled to sick leave if they are unwell. Before taking sick time, workers must give their employer notice of their illness within three days of being unwell. A licensed medical professional must submit a medical report in order to be eligible for this leave.

Employees are permitted to take up to ninety days of sick leave annually in order to attend to medical concerns. Compensation may or may not be provided, depending on the duration of the sick leave. The first fifteen days of paid leave for employees will be paid in full. After thirty days of paid leave at half salary, they will receive full pay for the remaining forty-five days.

Employees on probation who self-harm or get sick may not be eligible for paid sick time.

Sabbatical leave

Sabbatical leave allows employees in the United Arab Emirates to fulfill their civic duties. Employees in the public and private sectors are both qualified for this paid time off. UAE nationals are granted a protracted leave of absence from work to participate in a range of national identity-preserving pursuits. Among these initiatives are youth empowerment programs and military service opportunities.

The constitution mandates that all inhabitants of the United Arab Emirates enlist in the military before they age thirty. Employers are legally obligated to cooperate when an employee makes a formal request to participate in one of these programs. After serving their time in the military, UAE citizens who are now employed will be eligible for pension payments.

Bereavement leave

The labor rules of this country grant employees the right to compassionate or bereavement leave. Bereavement leave in the United Arab Emirates enables employees to grieve and organize funeral rituals.

Despite the labor law’s acknowledgment of bereavement leave, employees in the private sector are not entitled to it. When an employee files an official leave request, the employer decides whether to approve it or not. If the employer grants the request for a leave of absence, the employee will profit from the following:

Five days of fully paid leave in the event of a spouse’s death

You will be entitled to three days of fully paid leave in the event of the death of a close relative. A kid, parent, sibling, grandparent, or grandchild are examples of close relations according to the law.

Pilgrimage, known as religious travel, carries significant importance for many UAE nationals and residents. Acknowledging this, the UAE labor code ensures that employees have the right to participate in these sacred journeys. Although Muslims have various pilgrimage options, only two, namely Hajj and Umrah, are formally recognized by law.

Hajj Leave:
An Employee Entitlement As per the labor code, employers are obligated to provide employees with leave for Hajj, subject to the following conditions:

Leave Duration:
The maximum duration for Hajj leave is set at 30 days.

Payment:
Employees are not entitled to receive their salary during the Hajj leave period.

Frequency:
Employees can avail Hajj leave only once during their tenure with the company.

Umrah Leave:
At the Employer’s Discretion

While the labor code acknowledges Umrah, it does not automatically guarantee employees leave for this pilgrimage. The decision to grant Umrah leave rests solely with the employer.

Employees interested in performing Umrah must formally request approval from their employer. If granted, two options are available:

1. Deduction from Annual Leave: The employer may subtract the Umrah leave period from the employee’s accrued annual leave.
2. Unpaid Leave: Alternatively, the employee may take Umrah leave without receiving pay.

Manage leave policy in UAE with EOR Services

It might be challenging to uphold local employment rules and maintain a balanced workforce. Speak with our specialists to see how we can design a considerate leave policy that permits you to go on working productively while adhering to local regulations.