Everything You Need to Know About Maternity Leave in UAE

Maternity leave in UAE is an important leave for female workers who make a living in the work sectors of the UAE. In this case, the government has implemented changes this year that you should know about. Furthermore, it is essential that you as an employer know first-hand how you will have to pay the leave of your employee.

In this article, you will be able to delve deeper into the policies related to licensing in the United Arab Emirates. In addition, the rights of its workers and the long-term impact it will have on the workers and the child, among others.

What is Maternity Leave?

Pregnancy leave is time that the employer must give to its workers so that they can take care of themselves during pregnancy. Likewise, the leave allows employees to also take care of their newborn child. Also, this leave is paid and aims to ensure that mothers can recover from childbirth and begin a strong bond with their children.

Important aspects of maternity leave in UAE Labor Law

You must provide maternity leave to those employees who work full-time in your company. Likewise, these licenses could be different between the emirates and also have differences in terms of the rules for the public and private sectors.

The Maternity Leave Rules in the UAE

In the United Arab Emirates, authorities have established regulations regarding leave in the work environment. In this sense, motherhood is something important for the government and that is why they have established and improved the laws in this regard. The characteristics of the regulations in this sense are those that we will detail below:

Legal Framework

Federal law № 28 is where the rules on maternity leave in Dubai are contained and for the rest of the emirates. Likewise, this Labor Law addresses aspects such as employment conditions, working hours, leave rights, and procedures for contract termination. Also, they contain provisions that have to do with matters between employees and employers in the UAE.

Similarly, it is the legal framework for labor issues because it provides steps for employers and employees to follow. The provisions of this law apply to the public and private sectors to ensure that all employees receive the benefits and protection equally. Currently, maternity leave UAE labour law states that workers will receive 45 days.

Likewise, the employer will pay the leave from the date of delivery. In addition, they will have the right to receive 15 days with remuneration equal to half their salary. Consequently, this leave can last up to 60 days.

Duration of Maternity Leave

If you are wondering how many days maternity leave in UAE for private sector, we detail it as follows:

• ·      The said leave is 45 paid days and 15 more days with half pay.
• ·      However, the company can extended up the leave to 90 days if necessary for some particular reason.
• ·      Likewise, the employee may request the said leave 30 days before the possible date of delivery.
• ·      An employee who has a problem caused by pregnancy may obtain a 45-day leave upon presentation of a valid medical certificate.
• ·      If the newborn is sick or has a disability, the working mother may have 30 more days of paid leave. Additionally, if applicable, another 30 days without remuneration, but a doctor must certify everything.
• ·      Finally, a nursing mother also has the right to 2 breaks every day to breastfeed the baby. In this case, both should not add up to more than one hour and only until 6 months after delivery. In addition, the employee must pay the employee in full for the break time.

Eligibility Criteria

To find out who is eligible for maternity leave in UAE, you will be able to look at the following criteria:

• ·      The employee must be in a permanent or regular position.
• ·      Equally, you must have at least 1 year of service in the company.
• ·      The worker must provide you with a valid medical certificate, issued by a legal medical authority.

Compensation During Maternity Leave

Female employees who are on maternity leave in UAE are entitled to receive payment as follows:

• ·      45 days of full payment
• ·      Then, 15 days with half pay

In addition, the employer must pay all this compensation, which must not be deducted from the accrued vacation days. In this way, the authorities ensure the well-being of the mother while allowing them to receive their salary and not have financial complications.

Recent Amendments to UAE Maternity Leave Law

About maternity leave UAE labour law, the government introduced certain changes. The most notable amendments include those detailed below:

• ·      Regarding the duration of the license, it went from 45 days to 90 days, including an additional 30 days in certain situations.
• ·      Likewise, in 2020 the UAE innovated, being the first Arab country to establish paternity leave. In this way, both the father and mother of a newborn have 5 days of paid leave after the birth.
• ·      The employer can extend the said leave up to the time determined by complications during childbirth and for child care.
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In this way, the authorities reinforce their laws for the benefit of families in the country.

How long is Maternity Leave in UAE?

Maternity leave in UAE has undergone the above changes so that mothers have better benefits. Therefore, the time established for the license, which was previously 45 days, is now 60 days. In addition, the mother enjoys a full salary during the first 45 days and half salary the rest of the time.

Benefits of Maternity Leave in UAE

Maternity leave UAE not only brings financial benefits to the mother during the established time but also some additional ones. These have to do with health, parental relationships, job satisfaction, and other notable benefits.

Mental and Emotional Health

The leave policies for mothers in the UAE set by the UAE authorities fully support them. In this way, they guarantee the mental and emotional well-being, not only of the mother but also of the child. In this way, workers can balance their work life with maternal responsibilities, as this can be difficult to achieve.

Fostering Strong Parent-Child Relationships

As you may have seen, maternity leave in UAE provides women with opportunities to recover after childbirth. In addition, it gives importance to establishing stronger bonds between mother and newborn.

Greater Job Satisfaction and Retention

This license is also a demonstration by the authorities of the nation of their concern for workers in the private and public sectors. Likewise, by providing this leave, companies benefit from retaining their talent, since employees value this assistance. Employees feel that they have value for the company, which helps with productivity and job satisfaction.

Financial Stability for Families

As we have mentioned, employees receive payments tailored to their needs during UAE maternity leave. This allows them to have the financial help they require during the period of absence from their job. Furthermore, with paid breastfeeding breaks, the employee will not stop receiving her full salary either.

Positive Impact on Long-term Child Development

The breastfeeding benefits granted with the license for mothers help improve the digestive system of the baby. In the same way, leave reduces the chances of the hospitalization of the child to less than half.

Maternity Leave in the UAE Public Sector

In the public sector, female workers also enjoy maternity leave in UAE similar to that in the private sector. However, the time and remuneration thereof depend on each Emirate that makes up the country. Therefore, we will show you all the details about this license in the different parts of the UAE.

UAE Federal Government

Due to the care that the mother and her baby need after childbirth, the federal government grants its employees generous leave. In this case, Federal Law No. 11 of 2008, specifically Article 53, establishes said license. In this way, employees dependent on the Federal Government have the right to the following:

• ·      60 days of fully paid leave.
• ·      Every day the employee has 2 hours to breastfeed the baby for up to 4 months after the baby is born.

Similarly, a father who works in the Federal Government is also entitled to 3 days of leave after the birth of a child. However, parents can only apply for said license if they meet the following conditions:

• ·      Request in the month of the birth of the baby.
• ·      The child is born in the UAE.

License in Abu Dhabi

In the case of the capital of the United Arab Emirates, maternity leave consists of the following in the public sector:

• ·      Pregnant women are entitled to 90 days of leave with full pay.
• ·      Likewise, they enjoy 2 hours of breastfeeding daily for the 12 months following delivery.

On the other hand, fathers can also enjoy 3 days of paid leave after the birth of the child.

License in Dubai

In Dubai, it is the Government of Dubai Human Resources Management Law No. 27 of 2006 that regulates this license. In this way, women can enjoy the license in the following way:

• ·      Leave with full pay for 90 days.
• ·      The work day is reduced by 2 hours so that the mother can breastfeed the child for up to 1 year from the date of birth.

Nevertheless, the authorities established some additional rules for this type of license, which include the following:

• ·      The worker can add additional days to the established three months of leave, although they are not paid.
• ·      The license together with the extension must not exceed 120 days.
• ·      Mothers can take advantage of breastfeeding hours at the beginning or end of the work day.
• ·      During Ramadan, the employee can only use one hour to breastfeed the baby.

Additionally, the authorities established standards for cases of abortion, and stillbirth, as well as for the care of children. Each of these specific licenses has its time and provisions depending on the particular situation.

License in Sharjah

In Sharjah, according to a 2016 decree, working women are entitled to maternity leave in UAE as follows:

• ·      Working women have up to 120 days of leave, comprising 90 days paid and 30 days unpaid.
• ·      As in most cases, the worker has the right to 2 hours of breastfeeding for 6 months.

Likewise, the government of the Emirate of Sharjah establishes certain advantages for mothers for said leave. In this case, it is the combination of the annual leave days added to the said leave to rest longer.

License in Ras Al Khaimah

As part of government policies in this Emirate, female employees have the right to the following:

• ·      90 days of leave with full pay
• ·      Breastfeeding period of up to 1 year from the birth of the baby.

Maternity Leave in the UAE Private Sector

Unlike the UAE labour law maternity leave in the public sector, it is shorter in the private sector. Furthermore, the financial aspect of said license is also different in this sector. The leave for mothers in this case, according to labor law, consists of the following:

• ·      A total of 60 days of leave
• ·      Payment of full salary during the first 45 days of leave
• ·      Payment of half of the salary of the employee during the last 15 days of the leave

The employer can increase the leave by an additional 45 days in the case of illness of the mother or newborn. In this sense, the affected person must provide justification that certifies the illness to extend the leave. Also, mothers with newborns with disabilities can request 30 additional days of leave.

However, you can extend the permit by 30 more days in this case but without the right to payment during that time. The law also establishes a specific time at work for breastfeeding within the established time.

Conclusion

With the major changes made to maternity leave in UAE, the government ensures benefits in all aspects. It not only improves the financial status of the mother but also benefits the mental and physical aspects of the mother and child. To learn more about these and other licenses, or any legal aspects in the UAE, contact us.