Gulf News, 17 August 2025: The UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has released a detailed employer Guide outlining workers’ rights and leave entitlements under Federal Decree-Law No. 33/2021.

It specifies seven categories of leave available to private-sector employees: annual, sick, study, parental, bereavement, national service, and maternity leave. Workers are entitled to 30 days of paid annual leave for each year of service, while new parents can take five working days of leave within six months of their child’s birth.

Maternity provisions include 60 days of leave for female workers, with 45 days at full pay followed by 15 days at half pay. The guidance also details sick leave allowances of up to 90 days annually, structured as 15 days at full pay, 30 days at half pay, and the remainder unpaid.

Bereavement leave grants five days for the death of a spouse and three days for immediate family members. Educational support includes 10 working days of study leave for workers enrolled in UAE-accredited institutions.

The toolkit additionally clarifies end-of-service benefits, with expatriate workers entitled to 21 days’ basic wage for each of the first five years and 30 days for subsequent years, calculated on their final basic wage.

The document also addresses wage regulations, requiring payment in UAE dirhams unless otherwise specified, and outlines compensation requirements for public holiday work.

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