UAE Maternity Leave Rules 2026: Duration, Pay and Employer Obligations for Private Sector Employees

How much maternity leave are private sector employees entitled to in the UAE, how is pay calculated, what happens if there are medical complications, and what must employers do to stay compliant with MOHRE rules in 2026.

Published: 5 September 2026

Quick answer: Private sector employees in the UAE are entitled to 60 calendar days of maternity leave under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021: the first 45 days at full pay and the remaining 15 days at half pay. This applies from the very first day of employment, with no minimum service period required.

How Much Maternity Leave Do Private Sector Employees Get?

Quick answer: 60 calendar days total, split into 45 days at full pay followed by 15 days at half pay, available to every female employee in the UAE private sector regardless of how long she has worked for her employer.

This entitlement comes from Article 30 of the UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021), which took effect on 2 February 2022 and applies to private sector employers across all seven emirates and their free zones, with the exception of the DIFC and ADGM, which operate under their own separate employment regulations.

Unlike many leave entitlements that build up with time served, maternity leave applies from day one of employment. A woman who joins a company and becomes eligible for maternity leave in her first month is entitled to the same 60 days as an employee of ten years.

How Is Maternity Pay Calculated?

Quick answer: The first 45 days of maternity leave are paid at 100% of the employee’s normal salary. The remaining 15 days are paid at 50% of normal salary. Any leave taken beyond the 60-day entitlement, where applicable, is unpaid unless it falls under one of the extensions below.

Leave period	Duration	Pay rate
Standard maternity leave, phase 1	45 days	100% of salary
Standard maternity leave, phase 2	15 days	50% of salary
Illness related to pregnancy or childbirth	Up to 45 additional days	Unpaid
Child born with a disability or serious health condition	30 additional days	Full pay
Child born with a disability, further extension	Up to 30 further days	Unpaid
Parental leave (both parents)	5 working days	Full pay

When Can Maternity Leave Start?

Quick answer: Maternity leave can begin up to 30 days before the expected delivery date, and the full 60-day entitlement must be available to the employee no later than the actual date of delivery.

In practice, this gives employees flexibility to start their leave shortly before their due date rather than being forced to work up until the day of delivery, while still guaranteeing the full 60 days is available around the birth itself.

Extension for Medical Complications

Quick answer: If an employee suffers an illness connected to pregnancy or childbirth that prevents her from returning to work after the standard 60 days, she may take up to 45 additional days of unpaid leave, supported by a medical certificate from a licensed medical authority.

This extension exists specifically for complications arising from the pregnancy or delivery itself, not for unrelated illnesses. Employers should request the medical certification required under the law before approving this extension, since it is what distinguishes a legally protected complication-related extension from ordinary unpaid leave.

Extension for a Child Born with a Disability

Quick answer: If a child is born with a disability or a health condition requiring the mother’s continued care, she is entitled to an additional 30 days of fully paid leave after the standard maternity leave ends, with a further 30 days of unpaid leave available if needed.

This is separate from, and can be taken in addition to, the medical-complication extension above if both circumstances apply.

Nursing Breaks After Returning to Work

Quick answer: For six months from the date of delivery, a returning employee is entitled to nursing breaks totaling up to one hour per day, taken as one or two breaks, fully paid and separate from her normal rest breaks.

Article 31 of the Labour Law requires these breaks to be scheduled at a time agreed between the employee and employer, so they fit around the operational needs of the business while still guaranteeing the entitlement itself. Employers cannot deduct pay for this time, and cannot require it to be combined with or replace existing lunch or rest breaks.

Parental Leave for Both Parents

Quick answer: Article 32 of the Labour Law gives both mothers and fathers five working days of paid parental leave following the birth of a child, separate from the mother’s 60-day maternity leave entitlement.

This leave can be taken at any point within six months of the child’s birth and applies regardless of gender, meaning fathers in the private sector are entitled to it as well.

Job Protection During Maternity Leave

Quick answer: Article 30(8) of the Labour Law prohibits an employer from terminating a female employee’s contract, or issuing a notice of termination, because she is pregnant, on maternity leave, or because of an illness resulting from pregnancy or childbirth, and any such termination is considered arbitrary.

This protection applies throughout the pregnancy and the maternity leave period, not only on the specific days the employee is physically absent from work.

Employer Obligations and What Happens If They Are Ignored

Employers in the UAE private sector must:
– Grant the full 60-day maternity leave entitlement from the employee’s first day of service, without requiring a minimum tenure.
– Pay the correct rate for each phase of leave, 100% for the first 45 days and 50% for the remaining 15.
– Approve the medical-complication and disability-related extensions when properly documented.
– Provide paid nursing breaks for six months after the employee’s return, at a mutually agreed schedule.
– Provide five days of paid parental leave to both parents.
– Avoid any termination connected to pregnancy, maternity leave, or a related illness, which is treated as arbitrary dismissal under the law.

An employee who believes her maternity leave, pay, nursing breaks, or job protection rights have been denied can file a complaint directly with MOHRE. See how to file a MOHRE labour complaint for the process. Employers found in violation face liability for the withheld pay or benefit, and in the case of an arbitrary dismissal connected to maternity, compensation as determined by the UAE courts.

Example: How Maternity Pay Is Calculated

Quick answer: For an employee earning a fixed monthly salary, the first 45 days are paid as if she worked normally, and the remaining 15 days are paid at half that daily rate, with no deduction for the leave itself beyond the reduced rate on the second phase.

Take an employee with a monthly salary of AED 9,000. Her maternity leave pay works out as follows:

Phase	Duration	Daily basis	Approximate pay for the phase
Full pay phase	45 days	Normal daily rate (AED 9,000/30 = AED 300/day)	Approximately AED 13,500
Half pay phase	15 days	Half of normal daily rate (AED 150/day)	Approximately AED 2,250
Total for 60 days	60 days	Combined	Approximately AED 15,750

This is a simplified illustration using a 30-day month for the daily rate; actual payroll calculations should follow the employer’s normal salary calculation method and any applicable employment contract terms, and should be confirmed against the employee’s actual contracted salary components.

Documents Typically Needed to Apply for Maternity Leave

Quick answer: Employees generally need a medical certificate confirming the expected delivery date to request leave in advance, and a birth certificate or hospital discharge summary afterward to confirm the actual delivery date for payroll and HR records.

A medical report or certificate from a licensed doctor stating the expected due date, submitted when requesting leave to begin before delivery.
The birth certificate, or an official hospital document, once the child is born, to confirm the actual delivery date.
For the medical-complications extension, a certificate from a licensed medical authority specifically confirming the illness is connected to the pregnancy or childbirth.
For the disability-related extension, official medical documentation of the child’s condition.

Employers should request these through normal HR channels and keep them on file along with other employment records, since they form the basis for both the leave approval and the WPS-linked salary payments during the leave period.

Maternity Leave in the Public Sector vs Private Sector

Quick answer: Public sector maternity leave for UAE nationals is governed separately by human resources law and is generally more generous than the 60-day private sector entitlement under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, so private sector employees should not assume public sector terms apply to them.

This distinction matters because online searches often surface public sector or government-employee figures that do not apply to private companies. Every rule in this article, the 60-day duration, the 45/15 pay split, and the extensions, applies specifically to private sector employment governed by the UAE Labour Law. Employees moving between government and private sector roles should confirm which framework applies to their specific employer before assuming their entitlement carries over unchanged.

How This Fits with Other UAE Employment Rules

Maternity leave sits alongside several other employee protections that private sector workers should understand together, including UAE sick leave rules, the probation, notice and termination rules under an employment contract, and the different employment contract types recognized under UAE law. Employers managing WPS-linked salary payments during a reduced-pay maternity period should also be familiar with the UAE Wage Protection System rules, since salary during the 50%-pay phase must still be reported and paid correctly through WPS.

What Counts as Arbitrary Dismissal Related to Maternity

Quick answer: Any termination, or notice of termination, given because an employee is pregnant, on maternity leave, or absent due to a pregnancy-related illness is treated as arbitrary dismissal under Article 30(8), regardless of what reason the employer states on paper.

This protection is broader than it first appears. It is not limited to a dismissal letter that explicitly cites pregnancy as the reason. If the real motivation behind a termination is connected to the pregnancy or maternity leave, the dismissal can still be challenged as arbitrary even if the employer documents a different stated reason. An employee who believes this has happened to her should raise the issue with MOHRE promptly rather than accepting the stated reason at face value, since timing and context around the dismissal are usually central to how such a case is assessed.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many days of maternity leave do private sector employees get in the UAE?
60 calendar days total: 45 days at full pay and 15 days at half pay, under Article 30 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021.

Do I need a minimum period of service to qualify for maternity leave?
No. The entitlement applies from the first day of employment, with no minimum tenure requirement.

Can maternity leave start before the baby is born?
Yes, it can begin up to 30 days before the expected delivery date, and the full 60-day entitlement must be available to the employee by the actual delivery date.

What if I get sick because of the pregnancy or delivery and can’t return after 60 days?
You may take up to 45 additional days of unpaid leave, supported by a medical certificate from a licensed medical authority confirming the illness is related to the pregnancy or childbirth.

What happens if my baby is born with a disability?
You are entitled to an additional 30 days of fully paid leave after the standard maternity leave, with a further 30 unpaid days available if needed.

Are nursing breaks paid?
Yes. Nursing breaks of up to one hour per day, taken as one or two breaks, are fully paid and available for six months after the delivery date, separate from normal rest breaks.

Do fathers get any leave when a child is born?
Yes. Article 32 gives both parents five working days of paid parental leave, separate from the mother’s maternity leave.

Can my employer terminate me while I am pregnant or on maternity leave?
No. Article 30(8) prohibits termination connected to pregnancy, maternity leave, or a related illness, and treats such termination as arbitrary dismissal.

What can I do if my employer denies my maternity leave or pay?
You can file a complaint with MOHRE. See our guide on how to file a MOHRE labour complaint for the exact steps.

Does this maternity leave entitlement apply in DIFC or ADGM?
No. DIFC and ADGM operate under their own separate employment regulations, not Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, so maternity leave terms in those free zones can differ.

Employers who need to correct payroll-linked figures may also need to amend a previously filed UAE Corporate Tax return. See How to Amend a Filed UAE Corporate Tax Return in 2026 for the FTA process and deadlines.

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