Sick Leave UAE: Entitlements, Policy, and Certificate Rules

Employees in the UAE are entitled to up to 90 days of sick leave per year under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021. The first 15 days are fully paid, the next 30 days are paid at half salary, and any days beyond 45 are unpaid. A valid medical certificate from a licensed healthcare provider is required to claim paid sick leave.

Do this next:

1. Notify your employer within three working days of falling ill
2. Visit a licensed healthcare provider and obtain a medical certificate
3. Submit the certificate to your HR department and keep a copy

Sick Leave Entitlement Under UAE Labour Law

Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 governs sick leave for all private-sector employees across the UAE. The structure is tiered — pay reduces as the leave period extends.

Sick leave does not carry over into the following year. Days are counted consecutively and normally include weekends and public holidays unless the employer’s internal policy states otherwise.

Paid sick leave does not apply if the illness results from the employee’s own misconduct — including substance-related conduct or violations of workplace safety rules.

Workplace injuries are handled under a separate legal framework and are not covered by the sick leave provisions of UAE Labour Law.

Who Qualifies for Paid Sick Leave in the UAE

Not every absence automatically qualifies for paid leave. Three conditions must all be met.

• The illness must be non-work-related
• The employee must notify the employer within three working days
• A valid medical certificate from a licensed provider must be submitted

Employees on probation are not entitled to paid sick leave under UAE Labour Law. An employer may grant unpaid leave during probation at their own discretion, but this is not a legal obligation.

Sick Leave Without a Medical Certificate in the UAE

Without a valid medical certificate, there is no guaranteed right to paid sick leave in the UAE.

Your employer may treat the absence as unpaid leave, deduct it from your annual leave balance, or record it as unauthorized. Some employers allow one or two uncertified days per year under internal policy, but this is a company decision rather than a legal requirement.

According to UAE Labour Law Article 44, repeated absences without valid documentation may be treated as misuse of sick leave rights and can result in disciplinary action.

“UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation — Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021“

Is there a deadline to obtain the certificate?

There is no federal rule requiring a certificate to be issued within exactly three calendar days of falling ill. However, delaying your visit to a licensed provider significantly increases the risk of your leave being rejected.

Visit promptly and submit documentation as soon as it is available.

What if visiting a clinic is not immediately possible?

Notify your employer at once and provide any supporting evidence — pharmacy receipts, telemedicine records, or a written explanation.

Prompt communication reduces the risk of the absence being recorded as unauthorized. Employers may accept alternative evidence at their discretion, but this is never guaranteed.

When to use this: If you are unsure whether your absence qualifies for paid leave, contact your HR department before assuming it will be covered.

Sick Leave Rules Specific to Dubai

Dubai applies additional procedures managed by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) on top of the federal requirements.

Medical certificates for sick leave in Dubai must be issued by DHA-licensed healthcare facilities. A certificate from an unlicensed clinic or from outside the UAE will not be accepted by Dubai employers.

Rules for absences of three or more days

• The certificate must come from a DHA-approved hospital or clinic
• A physical medical evaluation is required — not just a phone consultation
• The healthcare provider uploads the certificate to the DHA’s online sick leave system
• The employee receives a copy but is not responsible for the upload

Rules for absences of one to two days

DHA system approval is not always mandatory for short absences, but many Dubai employers require documentation regardless of duration. Check your employment contract to confirm what applies.

Employers in Dubai can verify any certificate’s authenticity through the DHA Sick Leave Verification Portal.

As of 2026, certificates covering illness periods exceeding one month may require review by a Higher Medical Committee under updated Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) and DHA regulations introduced in 2025.

What Happens After 90 Days of Sick Leave

The 90-day annual entitlement is the maximum permitted under UAE Labour Law.

If an employee exhausts the full 90 days and remains medically unfit to return, the employer may lawfully terminate the employment contract under Article 31(5) of Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021.

Termination in this scenario does not remove the employee’s right to end-of-service gratuity and all other benefits owed under the law.

An employer cannot dismiss an employee while they are on valid, certified sick leave within the 90-day period. Termination during active certified leave is not permitted under any circumstances.

Free Zone Variations

Employees in UAE free zones should not assume federal law applies automatically in full.

Always verify against your employment contract and the specific free zone authority’s published regulations before assuming which framework governs your leave.

For public sector employees in Dubai, the Dubai Government Human Resources Law may apply instead of Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021, and entitlements may differ from the private-sector structure above.

Pro Tip: Before visiting any clinic for a sick leave certificate in Dubai, verify the facility is DHA-licensed by checking the DHA website or calling ahead. A certificate from an unlicensed provider — even if the doctor is fully qualified — will not be accepted by your employer and cannot be retrospectively validated.

For related UAE employment rights, see our guide on UAE labour law and worker rights.

FAQs

How many sick leave days are employees entitled to in the UAE?

Employees in the UAE are entitled to up to 90 days of sick leave per year under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021. The first 15 days are fully paid, the following 30 days are paid at half salary, and any days beyond 45 are unpaid. This entitlement applies only after completing probation and requires a valid medical certificate.

Can I take sick leave without a medical certificate in the UAE?

Without a valid medical certificate from a licensed healthcare provider, there is no legal entitlement to paid sick leave in the UAE. Your employer may treat the absence as unpaid, deduct it from annual leave, or mark it as unauthorized. Some employers allow one to two uncertified days under internal policy, but this is discretionary and not a legal requirement.

What is the sick leave policy in UAE free zones?

It depends on the free zone. DIFC and ADGM operate under independent employment regulations and may have different entitlements from federal law. DMCC, DAFZA, and JAFZA generally follow UAE Labour Law — 15 days full pay, 30 days half pay, 45 days unpaid. Always check your employment contract and the relevant free zone authority’s regulations.

Can an employer terminate an employee on sick leave in the UAE?

An employer cannot dismiss an employee while they are on valid, certified sick leave within the 90-day annual entitlement. If an employee exhausts the full 90 days and remains medically unfit to return, the employer may lawfully terminate the contract under Article 31(5) of UAE Labour Law. The employee retains all end-of-service benefits in this situation.

What medical certificate is required for sick leave in Dubai?

In Dubai, sick leave certificates must be issued by a DHA-licensed healthcare facility. For absences of three or more consecutive days, the certificate must be obtained after a physical medical evaluation and uploaded to the DHA’s online system by the healthcare provider. Certificates from unlicensed clinics or from outside the UAE are not accepted.