Among the Middle East’s most progressive nations is the United Arab Emirates. In addition to having essential resources for productive remote work, it also offers a generous leave policy.
Employers are allowed to exercise flexibility even though the UAE’s employment laws are strict regarding leave policies. Employers may create internal leave policies and decide whether to approve or deny requests for leave. In the UAE, you can also include special leave choices like adoption or family care leave.
There is a fine line between following the law and using your right to be flexible with it. Probably the best way to comply is to work with a multinational employer of record, such as Marzuna. Examine the UAE’s leave regulations and how they may impact the growth of your global company.
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 |
In the United Arab Emirates, employees who have worked for the same company for at least six months in a row are eligible for annual leave. Employees are entitled to two days of annual leave following six months of nonstop work. Employees are entitled to 30 days of paid annual leave after working for a minimum of a year.
Annual leave is also available to part-time employees. However, their employment contract specifies the terms and quantity of days.
An employee may carry over their yearly leave to the subsequent year. Their accrued leave days that span more than two years can also be utilized.
The dates of the employees’ yearly leave may be determined by the employer based on the terms of the employment agreement. Any other holiday or leave that falls on the same day as the annual leave takes precedence.
For a period of four months, government workers who return to work after maternity leave will have their working hours reduced by two hours. They have the option to observe this break at the start or end of the workday. In the United Arab Emirates, this is referred to as the breastfeeding break.
Private sector workers who are also mothers are entitled to no more than two breaks per day. The total length of these fully compensated breaks cannot exceed one hour. When an employee returns to work, they are allowed to take six months of leave to breastfeed.
The UAE maintains its pioneering status as the first Arab nation to implement parental leave in the private sector. This initiative was solidified in 2020 by the late President, H. H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, through an amendment to the labor code.
While government employees enjoy a 3-day paid paternity leave upon the birth of their child, private sector employees, regardless of gender, can leverage the 5-day paid parental leave. This allows new parents to spend valuable time bonding with their newborn from the delivery date until the child reaches six months of age. Importantly, mothers utilizing parental leave do not forfeit any of their existing maternity leave entitlements.
This progressive policy reflects the UAE’s commitment to fostering a supportive and family-friendly work environment, encouraging both parents to actively participate in childcare and early childhood development.
Workers who require time off for educational reasons may be eligible for study leave. In the UAE, a 10-day fully paid study leave is offered. The intention is to enable staff members to get ready for and take tests. There are two requirements in order to be eligible for this leave:
If an employee is ill, they are entitled to sick leave in the United Arab Emirates. Employees are required to notify their employer of their health condition within three days of becoming ill before taking sick leave. To take this leave, a licensed medical practitioner must provide a medical report.
Workers may take up to ninety days of sick leave per year to take care of their health issues. Depending on how long the sick leave lasts, compensation may or may not be given. Employees’ first fifteen days of leave will be paid in full. They will take the next thirty days off at half salary, and the next forty-five days will be paid in full.
Workers who self-harm or become ill while on probation may lose paid sick leave.
In the United Arab Emirates, sabbatical leave gives workers the chance to carry out their civic responsibilities. Both government and private sector employees are eligible for this paid time off. UAE citizens are given an extended vacation from work to engage in a variety of national identity-preserving activities. Programs for youth empowerment and military service are examples of these activities.
All UAE citizens are required by the constitution to enlist in the military before they turn thirty. When an employee formally requests to join in one of these programs, employers are required by law to comply. Working citizens of the UAE will receive pension benefits upon completion of their military service.
Employees in this nation are entitled to compassionate or bereavement leave under the labor laws. In the United Arab Emirates, bereavement leave allows workers to process their loss and plan funeral ceremonies.
Private sector workers are not entitled to bereavement leave, despite the labor law’s recognition of this leave. Employees submit an official request for leave, and the employer then determines whether to grant it. The employee will receive the following benefits if the employer approves the leave request:
In the event of a spouse’s passing, five days of fully paid leave
If a close relative passes away, you will receive three days of fully paid leave. By legal definition, a child, parent, sibling, grandparent, or grandchild are examples of close relatives.
Pilgrimage, or religious travel, holds significant importance for many UAE nationals and residents. Recognizing this, the UAE labor code grants employees the right to participate in these sacred journeys. While various pilgrimage options exist for Muslims, only two are formally recognized by law: Hajj and Umrah.
Hajj Leave: A Right for Employees
The labor code mandates employers to grant employees leave for Hajj, subject to the following conditions:
Umrah Leave: At Employer’s Discretion
While the labor code acknowledges Umrah, it does not automatically grant employees leave for this pilgrimage. This decision rests solely with the employer.
Employees wishing to perform Umrah must submit a formal request to their employer. If approved, two options exist:
Maintaining a balanced workforce while adhering to local employment laws can be difficult. Talk to our experts to find out how we can create a thoughtful leave policy that complies with local laws and lets you continue to be productive.
