Leave Policy in United Arab Emirates

UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 establishes the statutory leave framework governing private sector employees across the country, setting minimum entitlements that employers must meet regardless of any additional benefits they may provide through internal company policy. The law covers annual, sick, maternity, parental, bereavement, study, Hajj and national service leave, while public holidays are governed separately by Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024. Islamic public holidays shift annually according to the lunar calendar and are confirmed through official announcements.

Employers hiring in the UAE must manage different eligibility and calculation rules across leave types. Some entitlements are expressed in calendar days, while others are measured in working days. Gloroots supports employers navigating these requirements through its Global Employer of Record platform, helping centralize leave administration and compliance across UAE employees.

Leave Policy at a Glance

Overview and Legal Basis for Leave in United Arab Emirates

UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 (the Labour Law) is the primary statute governing leave entitlements for private-sector workers. Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022, which contains the Implementing Regulations, provides additional rules for administering these entitlements. The UAE legislation platform currently lists Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 and Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024 as legislation in force.

The law applies to private-sector employees, including UAE nationals and expatriates. Certain categories, including government employees and domestic workers, are governed by separate legislation. Statutory entitlements establish the legal minimum, while employers may provide more favourable contractual or company-policy benefits.

Companies using an EOR model must ensure employment contracts and leave administration comply with these statutory requirements from the start of employment.

The Labour Law covers the following leave categories:

• Annual leave

• Sick leave

• Maternity leave

• Parental leave

• Bereavement leave

• Study leave

• Hajj leave

• National service leave

• Public holidays

• Unpaid leave

Annual Leave (Earned / Privilege Leave)

Full-time private-sector employees in the UAE are entitled to 30 calendar days of paid annual leave for each year of service after completing one year. Employees whose service exceeds six months but is less than one year are entitled to two days of leave for each month of service. If employment ends before the employee uses all accrued leave, the employee is entitled to payment for the applicable unused leave balance and leave accrued for the fraction of the final year.

Part-time employees receive annual leave according to their actual working hours, as specified in the employment contract and in accordance with the Implementing Regulations. The previous reference to a universal five-working-day statutory floor for part-time employees should not be used as a general rule.

The statutory entitlement is expressed in calendar days. It should not be converted into a universal 22-working-day or 26-working-day minimum because the UAE Labour Law establishes the entitlement as 30 days rather than setting a separate full-time working-day equivalent.

Employees are generally expected to use annual leave in the year in which it becomes due. An employer may determine leave dates based on business requirements and must notify the employee at least one month in advance. An employee may carry forward unused annual leave, subject to employer consent and company regulations, with the Implementing Regulations allowing carry-forward of no more than half of the annual leave entitlement.

The employer cannot prevent an employee from using accrued annual leave for more than two consecutive years unless the employee chooses to carry it forward or receive cash compensation in accordance with the applicable regulations and company rules.

For a comparable regional reference, see the leave policy in India, which follows a different statutory and state-level framework.

Public Holidays

The UAE's current public-holiday framework is established by Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024 and applies to both public and private sectors. The current official government list contains Gregorian New Year, Eid Al Fitr, Arafah Day, Eid Al Adha, Hijri New Year, the Prophet Mohammed's Birthday and National Day.

The standard statutory schedule provides 12 days, with a possible additional day for Eid Al Fitr when Ramadan lasts 30 days, making the total 13 days in that circumstance. Commemoration Day is not included in the current Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024 and should therefore not be presented as a separate annual statutory public holiday.

Islamic holiday dates depend on moon sighting and should be confirmed through official UAE government or MoHRE announcements for each year.

Public holidays are not automatically transferred when they fall on a weekend. Article 3 of Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024 states that a public holiday cannot be transferred when it coincides with another public holiday or falls on a weekend.

For 2026, MoHRE separately confirmed 1 January as a paid private-sector holiday and announced Eid Al Fitr leave for 19–21 March, with 22 March added if Ramadan completed 30 days.

Sick Leave

Sick leave in the UAE is governed by Article 31 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021. Employees who have completed their probationary period may receive up to 90 days of sick leave per year, whether taken continuously or intermittently.

Pay during sick leave is structured as follows:

• First 15 days: full pay

• Next 30 days: half pay

• Remaining 45 days: unpaid

Employees must notify their employer of sickness within a maximum of three days and submit a medical report issued by the relevant medical authority. The law does not require the medical report to be submitted within 48 hours.

Employees on probation are not entitled to paid sick leave. However, an employer may grant unpaid sick leave during probation where supported by a medical report from a recognised medical authority.

An employer may not dismiss an employee or issue termination notice while the employee is on sick leave. If the employee uses the full 90-day entitlement and remains unable to return to work, the employer may terminate employment in accordance with the Labour Law, with the employee retaining applicable end-of-service and other statutory entitlements.

For a comparison with a jurisdiction that provides more extensive sick leave protections, see the leave policy in Germany.

Casual Leave

Casual leave is not a statutory category under UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021. The law does not establish a minimum entitlement for casual or emergency leave.

Employers may voluntarily provide casual, personal or emergency leave through employment contracts or internal HR policies. Because these benefits are discretionary, the employer determines the entitlement, pay status, carry-forward treatment and eligibility requirements.

The previous reference to a typical market range of 5 to 7 casual-leave days should not be presented as a UAE statutory or universal market requirement without separate market research.

Employers should document any discretionary casual-leave benefit clearly in employment contracts or HR policy manuals to ensure consistent application across employees.

Maternity Leave

Under Article 30 of UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, female employees are entitled to 60 days of maternity leave: the first 45 days at full pay and the following 15 days at half pay. The law does not establish a minimum service period for this entitlement.

A female employee may take maternity leave from the last day of the month immediately preceding the month in which she is expected to give birth, based on a medical certificate.

After maternity leave, the employee may take up to 45 additional days of unpaid leave, continuously or intermittently, where pregnancy- or childbirth-related illness affecting the employee or child prevents her from returning to work. The condition must be supported by a medical certificate.

Where a newborn is sick or has a disability and requires continuous care, the employee may receive an additional 30 days of fully paid leave followed by up to 30 additional days of unpaid leave, supported by a medical report.

The maternity entitlement also applies where delivery occurs after six months or more of pregnancy, including where the fetus is stillborn or is born alive and subsequently dies. Employers may not terminate or give notice of termination because of pregnancy, maternity leave or an absence covered by Article 30.

The previous reference to statutory maternity leave for adoption should be removed. Article 30 of the Labour Law sets out maternity leave in relation to childbirth and does not establish a separate 60-day maternity entitlement for adoption.

Employers operating across multiple jurisdictions can compare these entitlements against other markets, such as the leave policy in the UK.

Parental Leave

UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 provides five working days of paid parental leave to either parent. The leave can be taken continuously or intermittently within six months from the child's birth.

There is no separate statutory five-day paternity leave category for fathers under the private-sector Labour Law. The five working days are parental leave and are available to both mothers and fathers.

Employees must provide evidence of the child's birth when applying for parental leave. The Implementing Regulations specifically provide for proof of birth.

Adoption and Surrogacy Leave

The UAE private-sector Labour Law does not establish a separate statutory adoption leave entitlement equivalent to maternity leave. Article 30 provides the statutory maternity entitlement in connection with childbirth, while Article 32 provides five working days of parental leave for either parent following the birth of a child.

Employers may provide adoption-related leave or enhanced family leave through company policy, but such benefits should be clearly identified as discretionary rather than statutory.

The UAE Government states that adoption is not permitted under its legal framework, although specific systems exist for fostering and caring for children of unknown parentage. The Labour Law does not provide a separate statutory surrogacy leave category.

Bereavement Leave

Bereavement leave is statutory and fully paid under Article 32 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021.

Employees receive:

• 5 days for the death of a spouse

• 3 days for the death of a parent

• 3 days for the death of a child

• 3 days for the death of a sibling

• 3 days for the death of a grandparent

• 3 days for the death of a grandchild

The entitlement begins from the date of death. The Implementing Regulations allow the employer to require supporting evidence of the death.

Other Leave Types

UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 provides several additional leave categories beyond annual, sick and parental leave.

Hajj Leave allows an employee to take unpaid leave of up to 30 days for the performance of Hajj. The current UAE Government guidance states that it may be granted once during the employee's period of employment with the same employer. It does not state a statutory two-year service requirement or require the employee to have never previously performed Hajj.

National Service Leave applies to Emirati employees performing national and reserve service. The leave is paid, and the applicable duration and conditions are governed by national service legislation. The current UAE Government information confirms that private-sector employers must allow eligible Emirati employees to undertake national service.

Study Leave provides up to 10 working days of paid leave per year for employees who are enrolled in an accredited educational institution in the UAE and have completed at least two years of service with their employer. The leave is intended for examinations.

Leave Without Pay may be granted with employer approval. The Labour Law does not establish a universal statutory duration for ordinary unpaid leave outside the specific leave categories provided by law.

Beyond statutory entitlements, employers may offer discretionary benefits such as:

• Marriage leave

• Birthday leave

• Wellness days

• Enhanced parental leave

• Additional family or personal leave

These benefits are not required by the federal private-sector Labour Law and depend on individual employer policy.

Carry-Forward and Leave Encashment Rules

The UAE Labour Law and Implementing Regulations do not establish a universal fixed 15-day carry-forward limit. Under Article 19 of Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022, an employee may carry forward no more than half of the annual leave entitlement into the following year, subject to the applicable rules. The employee may alternatively agree with the employer to receive a cash equivalent in accordance with the applicable regulations.

The employer cannot prevent an employee from using accrued annual leave for more than two consecutive years unless the employee chooses to carry it forward or receive cash compensation in accordance with the applicable regulations and company rules.

On termination, the employee is entitled to a cash equivalent for legally accrued and unused annual leave. The Implementing Regulations specify that this amount is calculated based on the employee's basic salary.

The previous gross-salary formulas using 365 and 260 should be removed from this page. The current official UAE sources establish the statutory annual-leave entitlement and confirm that unused annual leave on termination is calculated using basic salary, but do not support presenting those two formulas as a universal statutory calculation method.

Employers using Gloroots EOR services can use centralized leave administration to manage employee leave balances and related records.

Best Practices for Managing Leave Compliantly in United Arab Emirates

Compliant leave management in the UAE requires accurate entitlement tracking, clear policies and supporting documentation. Four practices reduce administrative and compliance risk:

• Track statutory entitlements separately: Maintain accurate leave records for all employees and identify UAE-national-specific requirements such as national service leave.

• Document statutory leave rules: Include applicable statutory entitlements in employment contracts and HR policies and keep policies aligned with Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 and its Implementing Regulations.

• Maintain supporting documentation: Record leave requests, approvals, medical reports and other required evidence. For annual leave scheduling, employees should receive at least one month's notice of the scheduled dates.

• Distinguish statutory and discretionary benefits: Clearly separate legally required leave from additional company benefits such as marriage leave, wellness days or enhanced parental leave.

Using employer of record software can help centralize leave administration, maintain employee records and support consistent application of statutory policies across the UAE workforce.

Managing Leave Policy in United Arab Emirates with Gloroots

UAE leave compliance requires employers to manage different eligibility rules, calendar and working day entitlements, Emirati-national-specific provisions, lunar-calendar public holidays and annual-leave encashment requirements.

Gloroots can help employers centralize leave administration and workforce records while supporting compliant employment through its EOR model. Employers should ensure that any platform configuration, payroll calculation or public-holiday calendar used for UAE employees reflects the latest applicable legislation and official MoHRE announcements.

This applies to companies employing both UAE nationals and expatriates. If you are evaluating entity-free employment in the UAE, the best employer of record guide covers key factors to consider when selecting an EOR provider.

Frequently Asked Questions About Leave Policy in United Arab Emirates

When does an employee become eligible for annual leave in the UAE?

Employees become entitled to annual leave after six months of service. Employees whose service exceeds six months but is less than one year receive two days of leave for each month of service. After completing one year, employees are entitled to 30 days of paid annual leave per year.

How much annual leave can an employee carry forward?

The Implementing Regulations allow an employee to carry forward no more than half of the annual leave entitlement into the following year, subject to the applicable rules. The law does not establish a universal fixed 15-day limit.

The employer cannot prevent an employee from using accrued annual leave for more than two consecutive years unless the employee chooses to carry it forward or receive cash compensation under the applicable rules.

How is sick leave paid under UAE law?

Employees who have completed their probationary period may receive up to 90 days of sick leave per year. The first 15 days are paid in full, the next 30 days are paid at half pay, and the remaining 45 days are unpaid.

Employees must notify the employer within a maximum of three days and submit a medical report. The law does not require the medical report to be submitted within 48 hours.

Is there a service requirement for maternity leave?

The UAE Labour Law does not establish a minimum service period for the 60-day maternity leave entitlement. Female employees receive 45 days at full pay and 15 days at half pay.

What paternity or parental leave does UAE law provide?

The UAE private-sector Labour Law provides five working days of paid parental leave to either parent. The leave can be taken continuously or intermittently within six months of the child's birth.

How is leave encashed on termination?

Unused legally accrued annual leave is paid out when employment ends. The Implementing Regulations provide that the cash equivalent of the legally due annual leave balance is calculated using the employee's basic salary.

Who qualifies for Hajj leave in the UAE?

The UAE Labour Law allows employees to receive unpaid Hajj leave for up to 30 days. It may be granted once during the period of employment with the same employer. The current UAE Government guidance does not state a two-year service requirement or a condition that the employee must never have previously performed Hajj.

How many days of annual leave are employees entitled to in the UAE?

Employees who complete one year of service are entitled to 30 days of paid annual leave. Employees with more than six months but less than one year of service receive two days per month.

Can annual leave be carried forward in the UAE?

Yes. The Implementing Regulations allow no more than half of the annual leave entitlement to be carried forward into the following year, subject to the applicable rules. The employer cannot prevent an employee from using accrued annual leave for more than two consecutive years unless the employee chooses to carry it forward or receive cash compensation under the applicable rules.

Is maternity leave paid in the UAE, and is there a minimum service requirement?

Yes. Private-sector employees receive 60 days of maternity leave: 45 days at full pay and 15 days at half pay. The Labour Law does not establish a minimum service requirement for this entitlement.

Are fathers entitled to paternity leave in the UAE?

Fathers are entitled to five working days of paid parental leave. The statutory entitlement is parental leave available to either parent rather than a separate paternity-leave category. The leave must be taken within six months of the child's birth.

How is unused annual leave paid out at end of service in the UAE?

Unused legally accrued annual leave is paid at the end of employment based on the employee's basic salary. The Implementing Regulations specifically provide for the cash equivalent of the legally due annual leave balance to be calculated using basic salary.

Who is entitled to Hajj (pilgrimage) leave in the UAE?

Employees may receive up to 30 days of unpaid Hajj leave, once during their employment with the same employer. The current official UAE Government guidance does not impose a two-year service requirement or prohibit an employee who has previously performed Hajj from applying.

What happens if an employee is sick during their probationary period in the UAE?

Employees during probation are not entitled to paid sick leave. An employer may grant unpaid sick leave during probation if supported by a medical report from a recognised medical authority.