Are you working in the UAE and looking for leave types and leave management information? You are on the right page. Here, we discuss all the essential points about employee leave according to UAE labor laws.
To achieve a better work-life balance, it is essential to understand these multiple types of leave outlined in the UAE labor laws. Both employers and workers must be aware of the numerous conditions applicable to leave. Employees are permitted to take several types of leave in the UAE, including sick, yearly, unpaid, maternity, and emergency leave.To help our readers better grasp the UAE leave policy, we will be covering all the necessary details in this blog post.
What is an Employee Leave Management System?
Company operations in the United Arab Emirates are ineffective without a leave management system. The majority of these systems let businesses maintain employee leave according to the rules governing it. It helps avoid any potential disputes and conflicts among the workforce.
Employees can virtually submit, authorize, and calculate accumulated leave with a leave management system.
Primary Responsibilities of the Organization for Employee Leave Management
To deal with employee leave effectively, businesses must adhere to the following guidelines.
- Ensure that all leave benefits are clearly written out in the manual for workers, including duration of each kind of leave, criteria, and applicable conditions. Ensure this data delivers well when new hires are onboarded.
- Ensure that workers can utilize all of their leave benefits, such as medical, yearly, maternity, parental, and emergency leaves, without facing any kind of discrimination.
- To avoid any disputes and legal proceedings, have a centralized system to record and manage employee leave.
- In accordance with legal standards, gather appropriate documentation, such as medical certifications, for medical leave.
- Work along with the payroll and HR departments to pay out workers for any unused time off when they retire.
UAE Employee Leaves Types Comparison
| Employee Leaves | Leave Entitlement | Applicable Conditions |
| Yearly Leave (Full): | Thirty days paid. | Applicable after one year of service. |
| Yearly Leave (partial): | Two days every month. | Applicable after six months of service. |
| Medical Leave: | Up to ninety days. | Applicable after completion of the probation period. |
| Maternity Leave: | Sixty days. | – |
| Paternity Leave: | Five working days. | Applicable within six months of the child’s birth. |
| Bereavement Leave: | Five days. | – |
| Education Leave: | Ten days yearly. | Applicable after completion of two years of service. |
| Public Holidays: | Ten to fifteen days yearly. | – |
| Pilgrimage Leave: | Up to thirty days (Unpaid). | Applicable once per employment tenure. |
| Unpaid Leave: | Depending on Circumstances. | Applicable depending on employer approval. |
UAE Employee Leave Categories Explained
The labor laws specify various types of leave in the UAE for employees, which are:
Employee Leave Yearly:
After working in the UAE for a year, employees may take thirty days of paid leave per year. Two days a month for less than a year and six months. If allowed, unused leave may be paid back or transferred to the next year’s leave.
Employee Leave Due To Illness:
The medical leave policy in the UAE states that employees may take a maximum of ninety days off work for illness in a year after their probationary period ends. However, if an employee violates regulations for sick leave, they shall not be permitted to get paid time off for illness.
Employee Leave for Maternity and Paternity:
This type of leave in the UAE for employees provides a total of sixty days, including fifteen days at half pay and forty-five days at full pay. It applies even in critical medical conditions after six months of pregnancy.
If a mother or infant is unable to return home for medical reasons, she may take an extra forty-five days of unpaid leave.
Thirty days of full pay and thirty days of unpaid leave in severe health conditions.
Male employees may take five days of parental leave within six months after their child’s birth. It helps them take care of their baby, even in an emergency.
Employee Leave for Bereavement:
If someone dies in the family, workers in the UAE may take bereavement leave. They are permitted to take five days off with pay if their spouse dies. If an employee’s direct family member dies, they will get three days off, such as a parent, child, or a sibling.
Employee Leave for Emergency Situations:
This specific type of leave in the UAE is usually unpaid or may come out of your collected yearly leave, depending on the employer’s decision and company policy.
Employee Leave for Pilgrimage:
Muslim workers may take a maximum of thirty days off without pay to travel on a pilgrimage (Umrah or Hajj). This type of leave in the UAE can only be taken once by an employee throughout their employment tenure with the organization they work for.
Employee Leave for Education:
The UAE Labor Law lets people take ten days off from work each year to prepare for tests at the UAE institution where they are already learning. However, they must have served for two years to get this leave.
Employee Leave for Public Holiday:
The UAE provides federal and Emirati regional public holidays. The UAE’s holiday policy indicates that workers receive from ten to fifteen paid public holidays per year. However, it relies on the Emirate, and if the holiday arrives on a weekday.
Time Off During the Holy Month:
The working hours usually decrease by two hours in the Holy month of Ramadan. All workers, regardless of any religion, will observe this time off.
Employee Unpaid Leave:
The UAE’s unpaid leave policy clarifies that employees may take unpaid leave if their employer agrees. These types of leave in the UAE are not recognized as time served or time worked for the retirement plan.
Outstanding Tips for Efficient Employee Leave Management
- Ensure that employee manuals and agreements have clear procedures for taking time off.
- The agreements with employees should clearly outline the different forms of employee leave and the application procedure.
- Ensure that all of the leave regulations adhere to the UAE Labor Law.
- Implement HR software like Connect HR software to make the leave management process transparent and effective.
Wrapping Up
The UAE has a robust mechanism for employee leave that helps people have an appropriate work-life balance. Paid yearly time off, organized medical leave, and extensive maternity leave to help new parents are some of the most crucial aspects. This advanced legislative framework shows that the government cares about its workers’ health and intends to provide a conducive work environment.
FAQs
How can you get the accrual of yearly employee leave in the UAE?
The amount of leave each year depends on the tenure of work and the basic wage. Employees who have been with the company for a year or longer earn a full month of time off per year. Those who have worked for from six to twelve months can receive two days off for every month they worked. If an employee gets dismissed, the leave pay calculation can be paid for any unused leave.
Should employees take time off if a public holiday occurs during their yearly leave?
If there are public holidays within the yearly leave, those days are included as part of paid leave. Employees cannot obtain any more days off or have extended leave.
Can employers refuse to accept employee leave requests in the UAE?
Yes, employers can reject leave requests if they violate the UAE labor law or company leave policies. For example, emergency leave or pilgrimage leave may be denied if the employee does not satisfy the requirements.
