Your main rights at a glance
Minimums set by the law for full-time private-sector employees. Your contract can give you more, never less.
| Topic | What the law gives you | Article |
|---|---|---|
| Annual leave | 2 days a month after 6 months in the first year, then 30 days a year | Art. 29 |
| Sick leave | Up to 90 days a year after probation: 15 days full pay, 30 days half pay, 45 days unpaid | Art. 31 |
| Maternity leave | 60 days: 45 days full pay, 15 days half pay | Art. 30 |
| Parental leave | 5 working days within 6 months of the birth, for either parent | Art. 32 |
| Probation | Up to 6 months; 14 days' written notice from the employer | Art. 9 |
| Notice period | Set in the contract, between 30 and 90 days | Art. 43 |
| Gratuity | 21 days' basic wage a year for the first 5 years, 30 days after that, after 1 year of service | Art. 51 |
| Final pay | All dues within 14 days of the contract ending | Art. 53 |
Free zones such as DIFC and ADGM have their own employment laws, and domestic workers are covered by a separate law (Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022).
Annual leave
Under Article 29 you earn 2 days of paid annual leave for each month once you have completed 6 months of service in your first year, and at least 30 calendar days for each year after that. Part-time employees get leave in proportion to their hours. Your employer can set when you take leave and can split it, but should agree the dates with you in good time. When your job ends, earned leave you have not taken is paid out, worked out on your basic wage. Agree any carry-over to the next year in writing.
- 4 months in your first job: no annual leave yet.
- 9 months: 9 × 2 = 18 days earned.
- 3 years: 30 days for the current leave year, plus any days your employer agreed to carry over.
Sick leave
After probation you can take up to 90 days of sick leave a year, continuous or in parts (Article 31). The first 15 days are on full pay, the next 30 days on half pay, and the remaining 45 days unpaid. Tell your employer within 3 days and give a medical report. During probation there is no paid sick leave, but the employer may give unpaid sick leave on a medical report. Sick leave is not paid if the illness came from your own misconduct, such as drinking alcohol or taking drugs.
Other paid leave
The law also gives working parents and families fixed paid leave:
- Maternity: 60 days, 45 days on full pay and 15 on half pay (Article 30), plus extra unpaid leave in some medical cases.
- Parental leave: 5 working days within 6 months of the child's birth, for the mother or the father (Article 32).
- Bereavement: 5 days for a husband or wife, 3 days for a parent, child, brother, sister, grandchild or grandparent (Article 32).
- Study leave: 10 working days a year for an employee with at least 2 years of service studying at a UAE institution (Article 32).
Probation
Article 9 allows a probation period of up to 6 months from your start date. The employer can end the contract during probation with 14 days' written notice. If you want to leave during probation to join another employer in the UAE, you must give 1 month's written notice, and the new employer may have to pay the old one's recruitment costs unless they agree otherwise. If you want to leave the UAE, the notice is 14 days. Probation time counts toward your service once you are confirmed.
Notice period and resignation
Your contract sets the notice period, which must be at least 30 days and no more than 90 days (Article 43). It applies to both sides, and you are paid your full wage while you work your notice. If either side skips the notice, it owes the other the wage for the notice period or the part not worked. Resign in writing, keep a copy, and check your exact last working day: it decides your gratuity and leave balance. Our free resignation letter tool writes the letter in English or Arabic.
Working hours and overtime
The normal maximum is 8 hours a day and 48 hours a week (Article 17). Overtime may not be more than 2 hours a day and is paid at your basic hourly wage plus at least 25%. Overtime worked at night is paid at least 50% extra; the Ministry's guide gives night hours as 10 pm to 4 am. Work on your weekly rest day is compensated with another day off or at least 50% extra. You get at least one paid rest day a week.
End-of-service gratuity
After at least one year of continuous service, Article 51 gives you a gratuity of 21 days' basic wage for each of the first five years and 30 days' basic wage for each year after that, with part years in proportion. The total cannot be more than two years' wages. Under the current law resigning does not reduce your gratuity: you get the same amount whether you resign or the employer ends the contract, unless you are dismissed for one of the serious reasons in Article 44. Use the gratuity calculator below for your own figure.
Final settlement and complaints
Article 53 requires the employer to pay all your wages and dues within 14 days of the contract ending. Your final settlement should include unpaid salary, gratuity, pay for unused leave and any other dues, and the employer must give you a free service certificate. You must also keep your Unemployment Insurance (ILOE) subscription active while employed; not subscribing can bring a AED 400 fine. If you are not paid, file a labour complaint with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) through its app or website; its Labour Claims and Advisory Call Centre on toll-free 80084 also helps with claims. You can do this as a foreign employee, alongside any help from your embassy. MOHRE first tries to settle it and can refer the case to court, and the UAE government portal says workers do not pay court fees on claims below AED 100,000.