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It depends on which free zone you work in. Most UAE free zones apply the federal UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021), administered by MOHRE or the free zone authority, so end-of-service gratuity is calculated the same way as on the mainland: 21 days' basic wage per year for the first five years, 30 days thereafter, on basic salary, with a one-year minimum and a two-year-wage cap. However, two financial free zones — the DIFC in Dubai and the ADGM in Abu Dhabi — have their own separate employment laws. DIFC uses the DEWS savings scheme of monthly employer contributions instead of a lump-sum gratuity, while ADGM applies its own end-of-service rules under its Employment Regulations. So the key question is whether your free zone follows the federal law or operates an independent regime. Check your employment contract and the relevant free-zone authority to confirm which rules apply to you. For a free-zone-specific entitlement or dispute, you can compare verified UAE employment lawyers on LEXAI who handle that jurisdiction.

For ten years of continuous service in the UAE private sector, your gratuity combines both accrual bands. Under the UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021), administered by MOHRE, the first five years accrue at 21 days' basic wage each, and the remaining five years accrue at 30 days' basic wage each. To calculate: find your daily basic wage (monthly basic salary divided by 30), multiply by 21 and then by 5 for the first five years, multiply by 30 and then by 5 for the next five years, and add the two results together. The whole calculation uses basic salary only — allowances are excluded — and your last drawn basic wage is the figure used, so pay rises during your tenure benefit the full accrual. The total remains capped at two years' wages, which a ten-year employee may approach depending on the salary structure. Unpaid leave days are not counted in the service period. MOHRE's official calculator handles the two-band split for you. If your employer applies the lower rate to your post-five-year service, you can challenge it with MOHRE or compare verified UAE employment lawyers on LEXAI.

In many cases, yes, but within limits. Under the UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021), annual leave is meant to be taken in the year it is earned, but leave can be carried over or paid in lieu where the employer and employee agree or where work requirements prevented it from being taken. Employers commonly apply a carry-over cap in company policy, so the practical amount you can roll forward may depend on your contract as well as the law. What an employer cannot do is simply erase accrued leave without compensation — any leave you earned but did not take is ultimately preserved as a balance that is paid out when you leave the job. To avoid losing value, request your current leave balance in writing and clarify your employer's carry-over rule. If leave is being wiped without payment, you can raise it with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), or consult verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI.

During annual leave in the UAE, your wage continues — you do not lose pay for taking leave you are entitled to under the Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021). For days you actually take as annual leave, you are paid your wage as you normally would be. The position differs slightly for the cash value of leave that you accrued but never took: that encashment is generally calculated on the basic wage rather than the full package, so the figure for unused-leave payout can be lower than your monthly take-home. Because pay structures vary (basic salary plus allowances), the exact amount depends on how your contract defines your wage, and you should confirm the basis applied to your settlement. If a leave-salary or encashment figure looks wrong, ask your employer for a written breakdown showing the wage basis and day count used. Unresolved disputes can go to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). For help reviewing the math, you can compare verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI.

Under the UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021), the up-to-90-days of annual sick leave available after probation is paid in three stages rather than at one flat rate. For the first 15 days of sick leave you receive your full wage. For the next 30 days you receive half your wage. Any sick days taken beyond that, up to the 90-day limit, are without pay. The bands apply across the year, so if you take sick leave in separate spells they count cumulatively toward the same 90 days. To be paid, your sick leave normally must be backed by a medical certificate from an approved health authority and notified to your employer promptly. If your illness arose from your own serious misconduct, you may not be entitled to sick pay. Should an employer pay less than the correct band or refuse documented sick leave, request a written explanation and, if needed, file a complaint with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). Verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI can also assist.

Under the UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021), maternity leave of 60 days is not paid at a single flat rate. The first 45 days are paid at your full wage, and the following 15 days are paid at half your wage. After the 60 days, if you need more time off due to a pregnancy- or birth-related illness supported by a medical report, the law allows additional leave that is unpaid, and separate provisions apply where the child is sick or has a disability. The full-wage and half-wage calculation is based on your wage as defined in your contract, so confirm whether your employer is applying the correct wage figure. Maternity pay is a statutory protection, and your employer cannot substitute a lower amount or refuse it because of your length of service. If the pay you receive does not match the 45-day full and 15-day half structure, ask for a written breakdown and, if unresolved, contact the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). Verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI can help review it.

No — under the UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021), an employer may not terminate a female employee, or serve her notice of termination, because she is pregnant or has taken maternity leave. The law treats pregnancy and maternity as protected grounds, so a dismissal connected to your pregnancy or your use of maternity leave can be challenged as unlawful. This protection covers the period around taking the leave and is designed to stop employers from pushing out staff for becoming pregnant. If you are dismissed and the real reason appears to be your pregnancy or maternity leave, you may be entitled to compensation for arbitrary dismissal in addition to your other end-of-service rights. Keep written records — emails, medical reports and any termination notice — as evidence. The first formal step is to file a complaint with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), which can refer unresolved disputes onward. Because these cases turn on evidence, you can also compare verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI experienced in employment disputes.

Fathers in the UAE private sector get 5 working days of paid parental leave. Mothers get 60 days of maternity leave. There is no separate "male maternity leave" in UAE law — what fathers receive is called parental leave, and mothers can use it too, on top of their maternity leave. Both entitlements come from the UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021). The UAE was among the first countries in the region to give private-sector fathers a statutory parental-leave right. Paternity / parental leave: 5 working days A working parent — mother or father — is entitled to 5 working days of paid parental leave to care for a newborn. Your wage continues for those days. You can take the days in one continuous block or split them, and the leave must generally be used within a set window following the child's birth. To claim it, notify your employer and keep proof of the birth date. Maternity leave: 60 days A female private-sector employee is entitled to 60 days of maternity leave. The first 45 days are paid at full wage. The remaining 15 days are paid at half wage. The basic right to the leave itself does not depend on completing a minimum period of service — a notable protection compared with older rules. The leave can typically begin in the period leading up to the expected delivery date. Beyond the 60 days, the law provides for additional unpaid leave in defined situations, such as illness related to the pregnancy or birth. Further provisions apply where the baby is ill or has a disability. Maternity leave is a protected right. Pregnancy or maternity leave should not be used as a reason to dismiss you. How the two differ Maternity leave is specific to the mother. It is the longer entitlement and centres on recovery and the period around the birth. Parental leave is the shorter, shared entitlement that either parent can use to care for the newborn. A mother can have both; a father has the parental-leave days. If your employer refuses If your employer refuses to grant the parental-leave days you are entitled to, or denies or shortens maternity leave, you can raise a complaint with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). For help if an entitlement is being denied, you can compare verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI.

Parental leave under the UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021) is a paid entitlement of 5 working days available to a working parent — both mothers and fathers — to care for their newborn child. It is distinct from maternity leave: maternity leave (60 days) is specific to the mother and centres on recovery and the period around birth, while parental leave is a shorter, shared entitlement that either parent can use. Parental leave is generally taken within a defined period after the birth and can be taken consecutively or in parts, subject to agreement on timing. Because it is paid, your wage continues during those days. To claim it, inform your employer and provide proof of the birth. This was a significant reform, extending a statutory caregiving right to fathers in the private sector for the first time. If an employer refuses to grant parental leave, you can raise it with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). Verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI can advise if your entitlement is being blocked.

Yes. Under the UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021), compassionate (bereavement) leave is paid leave, not unpaid time off. The entitlement is 5 days for the death of a spouse and 3 days for the death of a parent, child, sibling, grandchild or grandparent, and during these days your normal wage continues. Importantly, this leave is a standalone statutory entitlement, so it should not be taken out of your annual-leave balance — an employer who deducts bereavement days from your annual leave, or treats them as unpaid, is not applying the law correctly. Employers may reasonably request a death certificate or similar proof to process the paid leave. If your employer has docked your pay for properly claimed compassionate leave or counted it against annual leave, ask for a corrected payslip showing the days as paid bereavement leave. If the issue is not resolved internally, you can file a complaint with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), or seek help from verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI.