Maternity leave in UAE: Paid, unpaid, additional time off; what you need to know

One among many governmental initiatives for new mothers is the maternity leave policy that is applicable across the public and private sector

Meher Dhanjal

Published: Tue 10 Sep 2024, 11:19 AM

Last updated: Tue 10 Sep 2024, 11:03 PM

'It takes a village to raise a child'. This proverb encapsulates how challenging raising a child can be.

New mothers have a lot on their plate and are often physically and emotionally overwhelmed with the exhausting process of bringing a new life into the world.

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In order to support them, the government has introduced new initiatives to ease them into their newly changed lives. One among those is the maternity leave policy that is applicable to new mothers across the public and private sector.

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How many days?

Every woman working in the UAE is entitled to a maternity leave of 60 days of which, 45 are fully paid leaves, and 15 will be half-paid leaves.

When to apply?

You can apply for maternity leave up to a month (30 days) before your expected delivery date.

Any extra days off?

In some cases you can be entitled to take more than 60 days off, they have been listed below.

1. If you are sick

If the mother has fallen ill due to pregnancy or childbirth, she can take additional days off. However, she must have a medical certificate that has been issued by an authority.

The mother can take up to 45 days off without pay, if she is unable to resume work. These days off can be taken consecutively or in breaks.

These days can also be availed if the child is stillborn or passed away shortly after birth.

2. If your baby is sick

If your newborn baby has fallen sick or is suffering from a disability, the mother can take up to 30 days off (fully paid). This leave can be extended for an additional 30 days, without pay.

The mother will be required to submit a medical certificate that has been issued by an authority.

Nursing time?

Once you give birth and resume work, you are entitled to take additional breaks to nurse your child.

The new mother will be able to take a total of one hour off in one or two breaks to nurse her child. These fully paid breaks can be taken till 6 months after her date of delivery.

Parental leave

Both parents are entitled to take up to five days off at any time to care for their newborn child. They can take this at any point up until six months after a child is born.

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