For organisations operating in the United Arab Emirates, compliance depends on correctly applying these statutory provisions within payroll and HR processes when managing leave. The legislation provides defined structures for annual leave, maternity leave, sick leave, and other types of absence, creating a relatively standardised framework for employers.
Employees are entitled to 30 days of annual leave per year after completing one year of service.
For employees with more than six months but less than one year of service, leave accrues at 2 days per month.
Employees are also entitled to leave for any portion of the final year worked if employment ends before leave is taken.
Female employees are entitled to 60 days of maternity leave, structured as:
Additional provisions include:
After completing probation, employees are entitled to up to 90 days of sick leave per year, structured as:
Employees are not entitled to paid sick leave during probation, although unpaid leave may be granted.
The UAE labour framework also provides for additional statutory leave types:
These provisions support broader employee wellbeing and development while maintaining a structured legal framework.
The UAE offers a clearly defined statutory leave system, but compliance still depends on accurate application within employment contracts and payroll systems.
Employers must ensure that:
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