Updated Leave and Holiday Benefits in UAE: Crucial Information for Workers
Improved Leave Entitlements for UAE Workers Announced
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (MoHRE) has unveiled a new policy that defines various leave entitlements, aiming to enhance working conditions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations in UAE, full-time employees are entitled to 30 calendar days of paid annual leave per year after completing one year of continuous service. If an employee has worked between 6 months to less than one year, they are entitled to 2 days of paid leave per month of service. Part-time employees receive annual leave on a pro-rata basis according to their actual hours worked, with a minimum entitlement of 5 working days per year.
Annual leave should ideally be taken during the year it is due. Employers can schedule leave according to business needs by mutual agreement or rotation, and must notify employees at least one month in advance. Employees may carry forward unused annual leave with employer approval and subject to company policies. Public holidays that fall during annual leave count as part of the leave, unless contractual or policy terms provide otherwise.
In addition to annual leave, employees are entitled to paid leave upon certain life events. Parental leave grants 5 working days of paid leave upon the birth of a child, which can be taken consecutively or intermittently within six months. Employees are entitled to 5 days of paid leave upon the death of a spouse and 3 days of paid leave upon the death of a parent, child, sibling, grandchild, grandparent, or close relative.
UAE nationals performing mandatory national service are entitled to full paid leave, provided they have supporting documents.
Employees in the private sector are entitled to at least one paid weekly rest day, as per their contract or company policy. Paid leave on official public holidays is mandatory for employees in the private sector.
If employees work on official holidays, employers must either provide a compensatory day off for each day worked or pay the employee for that day plus at least 50% extra of their basic wage, as per Article 28 of UAE Labour Law. Unused leave must be paid out upon resignation or termination, based on the basic salary and prorated for partial service.
This applies equally to both public and private sector workers covered by this law, reflecting the UAE’s harmonized approach to labor rights. The law ensures that leave is fairly allocated and protects the interests of both full-time and part-time employees.
This summary aligns with official updates from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (MoHRE) and authoritative UAE labor law reviews.
[1] UAE Labour Law, Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations in UAE. [2] UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization, Official Updates.
- In line with the new leave entitlements announced by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (MoHRE), employees in the UAE business sector may now use their education and financial resources to plan for extended periods of leave.
- Business news outlets report that the improved leave entitlements for UAE workers will have significant implications for the UAE's finance sector, as employees may now need to balance their work and personal responsibilities more effectively.
