Maternity Leave in the UAE

Navigating employee leave policies is a core responsibility for HR departments across the UAE. Among the most critical types of leave to manage is maternity leave, a fundamental employee right that supports working mothers during one of the most important phases of their lives.

In this article, we’ll walk you through the latest maternity leave entitlements in the UAE under the Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 regarding the Regulation of Labour Relations, applicable to the private sector, and highlight what HR professionals and employers need to know to stay compliant and supportive.

How Much Maternity Leave Are Employees Entitled To In The UAE?

Under the current UAE labor law, female employees in the private sector are entitled to:

• 60 days of maternity leave:
  • 45 days - fully paid
  • 15 days - half pay

This entitlement applies regardless of the employee’s length of service - a significant shift from older regulations that required a minimum period of employment to qualify.

Additional Unpaid Leave

If an employee experiences health complications related to pregnancy or childbirth, she is entitled to up to 45 additional days of unpaid leave, provided a medical certificate is submitted to support the request.

Maternity Leave in Case of Stillbirth or Miscarriage

The law also accommodates compassionate provisions:

• In the event of a stillbirth or the death of an infant post-delivery, the employee is still entitled to maternity leave.
• If a miscarriage occurs after six months of pregnancy, the employee is still entitled to maternity leave benefits.

Nursing Breaks Post-Return to Work

For the first six months after returning to work, a female employee is entitled to two paid nursing breaks per day, each up to 30 minutes. These breaks are in addition to normal rest periods. 

Paternity Leave in the UAE 

In addition to maternity leave, UAE law also provides five days of paid parental leave for fathers to be taken within the first six months of the child’s birth, demonstrating the country’s commitment to shared parental responsibilities.

Best Practices for HR Teams

To ensure a seamless process for both the employee and the organization:

• Keep maternity leave policies clearly outlined in the employee handbook.
• Make sure your HR system is aligned with current labor laws and automatically updates to reflect any legal changes.
• Maintain empathy and open communication during the employee’s transition to and from maternity leave.
• Support returning mothers through flexible working arrangements, wellness check-ins, and accessible HR support.

 How ZenHR Helps You Manage Maternity Leave with Ease

Managing maternity leave can be complex, but not with ZenHR.

ZenHR’s Attendance & Time-Tracking module is designed to simplify and automate every aspect of the process, so HR teams can focus on what matters: supporting their people.

Here’s how ZenHR can help:

• Automated Entitlement Calculations: ZenHR accurately calculates maternity leave entitlements based on UAE labor laws, ensuring each employee receives the correct number of fully paid, partially paid, or unpaid days.
• Built-in Compliance: The system is always aligned with the latest legal requirements in the UAE, helping you avoid costly mistakes or violations.
• Custom Leave Policies: Easily configure and customize maternity leave rules to fit your internal HR policies or special employee arrangements.
• Nursing Break Tracking: ZenHR allows you to track daily nursing breaks during the employee’s return-to-work period, ensuring compliance with the six-month entitlement.
• Smooth Approvals & Notifications: Automatic workflows keep everyone in the loop, from employees and managers to payroll and HR, so no step is missed.
• Centralized Documentation: Store medical certificates, leave requests, and related documents securely in one place.

With ZenHR, you don’t just manage maternity leave, you optimize it.