These are the 9 types of leaves Private sector employees are entitled to in UAE

Emadeddin Khalil, Staff Reporter

The UAE digital government stated that there are 9 types of leave for private sector employees, citizens and residents, with different periods according to the type of job.

The government clarified that these leaves include:

Annual leave:

Employees are entitled to an annual leave if they have completed six months of service.

Sabbatical leave to perform national service:

As per 'UAE Labour Law', Emiratis working in the private sector are entitled to a paid sabbatical leave (extended break from work) to perform national service.

Study leave:

Employees who have completed at least two years of service with an employer, are entitled to a paid leave of 10 days per year to sit for examinations.

Bereavement leave:

Employees are entitled to a paid bereavement leave of 5 days in case of death of spouse and 3 days in case of death of a parent, child, sibling, grandchild or grandparent.

Hajj and Umrah leave:

Hajj leave:

Employees may be granted a special leave for the performance of Hajj under the provisions that the leave:

•is given without pay

•may not exceed 30 days

•is granted only once during the employment duration with the company.

Umrah leave:

The UAE Labour Law does not have any provisions which entitle the employee for Umrah leave. If the employee requests a Umrah leave, it is up to the employer to consent and deduct from the employee’s annual leave or consider unpaid leave.

Maternity leave:

A female worker is entitled to a maternity leave of 60 days, out of which:

•45 days will be fully-paid leave

•15 days will be half-paid leave.

Parental leave:

Employees of the private sector are entitled to a parental leave of 5 working days from the day of the birth of their child to six months. The parental leave is a paid leave that can be applied for by both mother and father of the baby.

Official leaves and vacations:

As per Article 21 of the UAE labour Law, employees of the private sector are entitled to at least, one day of paid rest per week as specified in the employment contract or work regulations of the company. The company may increase the number of weekly rest days. Additionally, employees are entitled to a paid leave on public holidays.

Sick leave as per the UAE Labour law

An employee is entitled to a sick leave of not more than 90 days per year, only after the end of probationary period. The 90 days’ sick leave can be continuous or intermittent, and the salary is paid as follows:

•full pay for the first 15 days

•half pay for the next 30 days

•no pay for the rest 45 days.

The worker is entitled to have an annual leave if he completes a period of 6 months of service with the employer, the government pointed out, adding that he is entitled to an annual leave with full pay of not less than 30 days, for each year of his service, and two days for each month if his service period exceeds six months and less about a year.

If the worker's service ends before using the annual leave, he is entitled to have leave for parts of the last year he spent at work, according to the government.

The Digital Government added that, according to the UAE Labour Law, citizens working for the private sector are entitled to an extended paid leave to perform national service.

It also indicated that the worker who is affiliated or regular with studies at one of the accredited educational institutions, can have a paid study leave for a period of ten working days per year, to perform the exams, provided that the period of service with the employer is not less than two years.

The worker of the private sector is also entitled to a paid mourning leave for a period of 5 days in case of the death of the husband or wife, and 3 days in the event of the death of the mother, father, children, brother, sister, grandchildren, grandfather or grandmother, starting from the date of death.

The Muslim worker has the right to a leave to perform Hajj, and it is without pay, for 30 days only, and for one time during the work period.

The UAE labour law does not include granting the worker a leave to perform Umrah, and in the event that the worker requests a leave, the employer has the right to agree, refuse, cut it from the worker's annual leave, or consider it unpaid.