Maternity & Paternity Leave Pay

Under Article 30 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, a working mother is entitled to 60 days of maternity leave: the first 45 days at full pay and the next 15 days at half pay. Unlike the old law, there is no minimum service requirement for this paid entitlement. A further 45 days of unpaid leave may be granted for a pregnancy or birth-related illness supported by a medical certificate.

Yes. Article 32 grants 5 working days of parental leave at full pay to either parent, mother or father, to care for their child. It can be taken continuously or intermittently within the first 6 months from the date of birth, and applies across both the private sector and, by parallel rules, the public sector.

Maternity and parental leave pay is calculated on the full wage, meaning basic salary plus regular allowances. This calculator divides the monthly wage by 30 to derive the daily figure, the standard UAE convention.

Beyond the 60 days, a mother may take up to 45 additional days of unpaid leave if she or the child has a related medical condition, with a supporting medical report. Separately, nursing mothers are entitled to paid breaks for breastfeeding for a period after returning to work.