UAE’s Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization (MoHRE) has stated that employers have the discretion to determine the timing of their employees’ annual leave. This advisory is part of the broader provisions of the country’s Labor Relations Law.
Under these regulations, all employees are guaranteed an annual leave of 30 days, as communicated by the Ministry through a social media post. However, the starting date for this annual leave is subject to the employer’s decision.
As per the Regulation of Labour Relations Law, you are entitled to annual leave, and the employer can determine its starting date as well as divide it into 2 periods.
Swipe left 👉 to learn more.#MoHRE #UAE pic.twitter.com/OEBQBEB7tf— وزارة الموارد البشرية والتوطين (@MOHRE_UAE) July 17, 2023
Furthermore, it is within the employer’s rights to divide this leave into two periods. The Ministry emphasized that such a division needs to be agreed upon by the employee, and a notice period of at least one month should be provided before the leave.
The UAE government requires employees to use their leave within the year. However, the exact timing of leave can be discussed with the employer, taking into account the organization’s requirements.
Turning to the matter of newly recruited employees, the Ministry assured that they are also entitled to leave benefits. Specifically, those who have been employed for a period between six months and a year. Such employees are eligible for two days of leave per month. Beyond the one-year mark, employees are entitled to the full 30-day leave.
MoHRE has clarified that employees are entitled to annual leave based on how much they have worked in a year. For example, if an employee works for 6 months of the year, they are entitled to half of their annual leave.
