Under the UAE Labour Law, a private-sector employee is entitled to 60 days of maternity leave — 45 days on full pay followed by 15 days on half pay — plus 5 days of paid parental leave for either parent to use within six months of the birth. You claim it by notifying your employer, providing a medical certificate, and agreeing your leave dates in writing before the baby arrives where possible.
Quick facts
- Maternity leave: 60 days total (45 days full pay + 15 days half pay), with no minimum service requirement
- Parental leave: 5 paid days for mother or father, to take within 6 months of birth
- Cost: Free to claim; it is a legal entitlement, not a favour
- Where it happens: Through your employer and HR; MOHRE on 600 590000 if there is a dispute
Step-by-step: claiming maternity and parental leave
- Tell your employer in good time. Share your expected due date in writing as early as you comfortably can, and confirm when you plan to start maternity leave. Leave can start before the birth — many mothers begin shortly before the due date — so agree the start date with HR in writing.
- Get a medical certificate. Ask your DHA-licensed doctor or hospital in Dubai for a certificate confirming the pregnancy and expected delivery date. HR will keep this on file as the basis for your leave record.
- Confirm your leave balance and pay in writing. Ask HR to confirm the 60 days, the full-pay and half-pay split, and how any additional unpaid or annual leave you want to add will be handled. Get the calculation before you go on leave, not after you return.
- Plan your handover. Agree who covers your work, where files live, and who clients should contact. A short handover note protects you from being disturbed throughout your leave for routine questions.
- Notify HR of the birth. After delivery, send a copy of the birth notification or birth certificate once issued. This confirms the leave dates and starts the clock for parental leave and any insurance updates for the baby.
- Claim parental leave separately. Either parent employed in the private sector can take 5 days of paid parental leave within six months of the birth. Apply to your own employer in writing — a father working for a different company claims it from his employer, not from yours.
- Agree your return. Before you come back, confirm your return date, any nursing break arrangements, and whether you will use annual leave to extend your time at home. Put the agreed plan in an email so payroll and your manager share the same dates.
Extra protections worth knowing
If illness related to pregnancy or childbirth prevents you from returning after maternity leave, the law allows additional unpaid leave supported by a medical certificate — commonly up to 30 consecutive days plus a further period as the law provides. After returning, a mother is entitled to nursing breaks during working hours for a period after the birth, treated as working time. Your employment cannot be terminated simply because you are pregnant or on maternity leave — a dismissal linked to pregnancy is treated as arbitrary. Keep copies of your leave approvals in case you ever need to show them to MOHRE.
Government-sector employees and free zone staff can have different, often more generous, entitlements under their own rules. Check your staff handbook and contract alongside this guide, and take whichever provision is more favourable to you. Your contract can offer more than the Labour Law minimum, but it can never lawfully offer less.
What it costs and how pay works
There is no fee to claim leave. During the first 45 days you receive your full salary as defined in your contract, then half pay for the next 15 days. If you extend with annual leave, those days are paid under your normal leave rules; additional medical leave beyond that may be unpaid. Salary should continue through your normal payroll and WPS cycle — if pay stops entirely or is cut beyond the half-pay phase, query it with HR in writing first, then with MOHRE.
Common mistakes to avoid
Do not rely on a verbal agreement — without written dates, payroll often codes leave incorrectly. Do not use all your annual leave by assumption; agree explicitly which days are maternity, which are annual, and which are unpaid. Fathers sometimes miss parental leave entirely because they apply after the six-month window closes. And do not resign under pressure during pregnancy before taking advice — speak to MOHRE first, because your entitlements and gratuity position may be stronger than you think.
FAQ
Do I need one year of service to get maternity leave?
No. Under the current Labour Law there is no minimum service condition for the 60 days of maternity leave. The entitlement applies from the start of your employment.
Can my husband take parental leave if we work for different companies?
Yes. Each parent claims the 5 days from their own employer. He should apply in writing to his HR with the baby’s birth certificate within six months of the birth.
Can I add annual leave to the end of maternity leave?
Yes, with your employer’s agreement on dates. Confirm in writing which days are maternity leave and which are annual leave so your pay and leave balance are recorded correctly.
