Private sector maternity leave in the UAE is 60 calendar days — 45 at full pay, 15 at half pay — under Article 30 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021. There’s no minimum service requirement; the entitlement applies from day one of employment, and it can start up to 30 days before the expected delivery date.
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Maternity Leave How the 45/15 Day Pay Split Actually Works
Full pay covers basic salary plus regular contractual allowances like housing and transport — not performance bonuses or variable commissions, which are typically excluded from the calculation.
| Period | Duration | Pay Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1–45 | 45 calendar days | 100% (full pay) |
| Days 46–60 | 15 calendar days | 50% (half pay) |
These are calendar days, not working days — weekends and public holidays falling within the leave period count toward the 60-day total, unlike DIFC and ADGM’s separate rules (covered below).
A common misconception is worth correcting directly: there’s no legitimate half-pay rule for employees with under a year of service. Some employers apply this citing short tenure, but Article 30 makes no such distinction — if your employer reduces pay based on tenure, that’s worth raising with MOHRE directly.
Extensions Beyond the Standard 60 Days
Three distinct extension pathways exist beyond the base entitlement, each with its own trigger and documentation requirement.
Pregnancy or childbirth-related illness adds up to 45 additional unpaid days, provided a medical certificate confirms the condition. A sick or disabled newborn adds 30 days at full pay immediately after the standard leave, extendable by another 30 unpaid days with a medical report. Stillbirth or miscarriage after six months of pregnancy triggers the full 60-day entitlement exactly as a live birth would — miscarriages earlier than six months typically fall under standard sick leave instead.
Both parents are separately entitled to 5 working days of paid parental leave within 6 months of the birth — a distinct entitlement from maternity leave itself, and one mothers can stack on top of their 60 days. See our full paternity leave guide for the complete breakdown of that entitlement.
Pro tip: Nursing breaks after returning to work run up to one hour daily, fully paid, for six months post-delivery — but this generally doesn’t apply during Ramadan for employees observing the fast, since government guidance has historically excluded nursing breaks during the fasting month specifically.
Government Sector Pays More — What’s Actually Proposed
Federal government employees currently receive 90 days at full pay — significantly more generous than the private sector’s 60-day, partially-paid structure — with individual emirates like Sharjah and Dubai offering even longer combined periods through additional unpaid extensions.
As of September 2026, a Federal National Council recommendation to extend this to 98 fully paid days for Emirati mothers specifically remains under review, not yet enacted into law. The proposal sits within a broader “Year of the Family” initiative alongside recommendations for mandatory workplace nurseries and formal grievance processes for rejected flexible-work requests — none of which are currently binding.
DIFC and ADGM Run Different Rules Entirely
Both financial free zones use working days, not calendar days — 65 working days total, split 33 full-pay and 32 half-pay, which translates to roughly 13 calendar weeks versus the federal law’s 8.5 weeks for the same nominal leave length.
The trade-off: DIFC and ADGM require 12 months of continuous employment before paid leave applies — employees under a year of service get unpaid leave only, unlike the federal law’s day-one eligibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days of maternity leave does UAE labour law provide for private sector employees?
60 calendar days: 45 at full pay and 15 at half pay, under Article 30 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021. No minimum service period applies.
Is there a minimum service requirement for maternity leave in the UAE?
No, for mainland and most free zone employees — the entitlement applies from day one. DIFC and ADGM are the exception, requiring 12 months of continuous service for paid leave specifically.
Can maternity leave start before the baby is born?
Yes, up to 30 days before the expected delivery date, with any pre-birth days counting toward the total 60-day entitlement.
Can an employer deduct maternity leave from annual leave?
No. Maternity leave is a separate statutory entitlement — annual leave continues accruing during maternity leave and cannot be reduced by it. Report any deduction to MOHRE.
Last verified: September 2026
Reviewed by: UAEwow Content Team
Source: Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, Article 30 — Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE)
Not legal advice. For disputes or free zone-specific questions, consult MOHRE or a qualified UAE employment lawyer.
