Governments and private companies allow their employees to take additional time off that is not mandated by law but is granted voluntarily to employees
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Time away from work helps employees achieve a good work-life balance. With negative job trends such as quiet resignations and mass resignations emerging on social media in the UAE over the past few months, experts have been calling for employers to pay more attention to the physical and mental health of their employees. A recent survey found that 70% of UAE residents struggle with work-life balance Because technology brings work to the home.
have Designate nine leaves Applicable to employees under UAE labor law. These include annual and maternity leave, sick leave and bereavement leave. By law, companies must grant employees time off when they seek it.
In addition to these guaranteed holidays, governments and private-sector companies provide employees with additional holidays. These are not mandated by law, but are granted voluntarily by entities.
Here, we’ve collected nine such leaves:
An extra day off if the public holiday falls on a weekend: By law, companies are not required to take an extra day off if a UAE public holiday falls on an employee weekend. However, some companies do. “For example, the New Year’s holiday in 2023 is Sunday. We got a day off on Monday,” said an employee of a Dubai-based company, who did not want to be named.
3-day weekend: The UAE switched to a shorter working week in January 2022.While most private sector companies switch to Saturday-Sunday weekends, some Company adds third day to weekend, making employees work four days a week. Some companies that do this are JRN Consultancy, POP Communications, and Active DMC.
Hajj Paid Leave: By law, companies are required to give employees 30 days of unpaid leave to perform the pilgrimage. Some companies, however, offer employees paid time off for the once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage. Some companies also give employees time off to perform Umrah, although they are not required to do so.
Unlimited vacation: Dubai-based super-app Careem offers employees what it calls Unlimited Vacation Policy. As the name suggests, employees are not limited to the number of vacation days throughout the year.
One-year entrepreneurial leave: Emiratis working in federal government sectors can apply A year-long “start-up leave”. Employees can take time off while starting or managing a business.
Unlimited leave for fertility treatment: Dubai-based TishTash Communications recently announced “flexible and unlimited” Employees take paid time off to go to the doctor While undergoing fertility treatment. This includes those who wish to freeze their eggs.
Menstrual leave: Multiple companies are offering women time off to cope extreme pain associated with menstruationThe UAE-based multinational Aries Group began offering options to employees last year. Most recently, TishTash announced up to six days a year of menopause and menstrual leave.
Paternity leave: UAE law allows male employees the option to take up to five days off to care for their newborn. Some companies offer new fathers extra, generous time off. In Jiajie Holdings, Male employees get three paid days off as paternity leave. They can choose to take an extra week off without pay.