A Simple Guide to Understanding Leave Types in the UAE

Leaves are an important part of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. They allow employees to rest, take care of personal matters, and ensure overall well-being. The UAE offers various types of leave to help workers recharge and manage their responsibilities. This guide will help you understand the different leave types available in the UAE, along with the key rules and entitlements for each.

Different Types of Leave in the UAE

1. Annual Leave

Purpose: Annual leave is meant for taking vacations, personal time, or simply recharging.
Eligibility:
- Employees who have worked for one year are entitled to 30 days of annual leave.
- If you’ve worked less than a year but more than six months, you will receive a prorated annual leave.
Key Details:
- You can carry over your unused leave to the next year, but it requires approval from your employer.
- You must request annual leave in advance.
- During annual leave, you receive full salary and allowances.

2. Sick Leave

Purpose: Sick leave allows employees to take time off to recover from illness or injury.
Eligibility:
- Employees must have completed their probationary period to qualify.
- A valid medical certificate from a recognized UAE medical facility is needed.
Entitlement:
- First 15 days: Fully paid
- Next 30 days: Half-paid
- Remaining 45 days: Unpaid
Key Details:
- Misusing sick leave could lead to disciplinary action.
- Sick leave does not apply to illnesses caused by alcohol or drug abuse.

3. Maternity Leave

Purpose: Maternity leave helps new mothers recover from childbirth and bond with their newborns.
Eligibility:
- Female employees who have worked for at least one year are entitled to maternity leave.
- Employees with less than one year of service may get 45 days of maternity leave at half pay.
Entitlement:
- 45 days of fully paid leave
- 15 days of half-paid leave
Key Details:
- New mothers are entitled to two 30-minute breaks per day for breastfeeding.
- Maternity leave is also available after a miscarriage or stillbirth, provided the pregnancy lasted for six months or more.

4. Paternity Leave

Purpose: Paternity leave gives fathers the opportunity to bond with their newborn child and support their partner.
Eligibility:
- Available to male employees after the birth of their child.
Entitlement:
- 5 days of paid leave, which can be taken either in a single block or in separate intervals.

5. Hajj Leave

Purpose: Hajj leave is for Muslim employees who wish to perform the Hajj pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of Islam.
Eligibility:
- Available to Muslim employees who have completed at least one year of service.
- Employees can only avail of Hajj leave once during their employment.
Entitlement:
- 30 days of unpaid leave
Key Details:
- Hajj leave does not affect your annual leave.
- You must inform your employer in advance about your intention to perform Hajj.

6. Study Leave

Purpose: Study leave allows employees to take time off for exams or educational purposes.
Eligibility:
- Employees must have worked for at least two years to be eligible.
- This leave is only available for attending exams at accredited institutions.
Entitlement:
- Employees are entitled to up to 10 days of paid leave per year for exams.

7. Compassionate/Bereavement Leave

Purpose: Bereavement leave provides employees with time to grieve and manage personal affairs after the loss of a loved one.
Eligibility:
- Available in the event of the death of an immediate family member.
Entitlement:
- 5 days of paid leave for the death of a spouse.
- 3 days of paid leave for the death of other immediate family members.
Key Details:
- You will need to provide a valid death certificate.
- Bereavement leave does not affect your annual leave.

Conclusion

The UAE offers a variety of leave types to support employees in managing both their work and personal lives. Whether you need a break to recharge, deal with personal matters, or take care of family needs, the country’s labor laws provide clear guidelines on your entitlements. Understanding these types of leave will help you plan your time off wisely and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How much annual leave am I entitled to in the UAE?
If you have worked for one year, you are entitled to 30 days of annual leave. Employees who have worked less than one year but more than six months will get a prorated amount.

2. What are the entitlements for sick leave?
Employees get 15 days of fully paid sick leave, followed by 30 days at half pay, and an additional 45 days of unpaid leave.

3. Can I take maternity leave if I haven’t worked for one year?
If you’ve worked for less than a year, you’re entitled to 45 days of maternity leave with half pay.

4. How many days of paternity leave do I get?
Fathers are entitled to 5 days of paid paternity leave.

5. Can I take Hajj leave more than once?
No, Hajj leave is only available once during your employment, but you must have worked for at least one year to qualify.

6. How much study leave can I take?
You can take up to 10 days of paid study leave per year for exams if you’ve worked for two years.

7. How long is bereavement leave in the UAE?
For the death of a spouse, employees get 5 days of paid leave. For the death of other immediate family members, employees are entitled to 3 days.

By understanding these leave types and their eligibility requirements, you can make sure you’re taking full advantage of the time off available to you in the UAE.

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Zeeshan

Senior HR at Find UAE Work

Hi, I’m Zeeshan! As an HR professional in Dubai, I’m passionate about helping people find the right job opportunities in the UAE. On my site, you’ll find job postings and tips to guide you on your career journey. Let’s make your next big move together!