Comprehensive Guide to Leaves and Holidays for Employees in the UAE

Working in the UAE comes with some great perks, including paid time off! Let’s break down the different types of leave.

Types of Leave

• Annual Leave: Earn this after six months on the job. Get 30 days of paid leave after a year, or two days per month if you haven’t hit a year yet.
• Sick Leave: Get more than 90 days a year after your probation period ends. You’ll get full pay for the first 15 days, half pay for the next 30, and no pay for the remaining days. Just let your boss know within three days and provide a doctor’s note from an approved clinic.
• Study Leave: Been working hard for at least two years? You can take ten paid days off per year to focus on exams at a UAE-approved school.
• Maternity Leave: New moms get 60 days off, with 45 days fully paid and 15 days half-paid. You can also take additional unpaid leave if you have a pregnancy-related illness.
• Parental Leave: Dads (and other caregivers) get five paid days off after the birth of a child. The UAE was the first Arab country to offer this!
• Compassionate Leave: Take five paid days off if your spouse dies, and three days for a parent, child, sibling, grandparent, or grandchild.
• Hajj Leave: Need time to perform Hajj? You can get up to 30 days of unpaid leave, but only once during your time with the company.

Public Holidays

Both public and private sector employees get days off for national holidays. These can change year to year, but some common ones include:

• New Year’s Day (January 1st)
• Eid Al Fitr (4 days)
• Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha (4 days)
• Islamic New Year
• Prophet Mohammed’s birthday
• National Day (2 days)

Important Note: Since Islamic holidays follow the lunar calendar, their exact dates can vary.