UAE Maternity Leave 2026: 60-Day Rules, Pay & Paternity Leave

UAE maternity leave - new mother holding her newborn at a desk with the Dubai skyline

Expecting a baby while working in the UAE? The law protects you more than most people realise. Under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, female employees in the UAE's private sector get 60 days of maternity leave — 45 days at full pay and 15 days at half pay — with no minimum service requirement. That means you are covered from your very first day on the job, even during probation. Fathers get five working days of paid parental leave too. This guide breaks down every rule: how much you are paid, when leave can start, extensions for complications, nursing breaks after you return, and the protections that stop your employer from firing you because of pregnancy.

Quick answer: In the UAE private sector, maternity leave is 60 calendar days — the first 45 at full pay and the last 15 at half pay — and it can start up to about 30 days before your expected delivery date. Paternity (parental) leave is 5 working days of paid leave, for the father or the mother, to be taken within six months of the birth. Terminating a woman because of pregnancy or maternity leave is illegal.

UAE maternity leave: the 60-day rule explained

Article 30 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 — the UAE Labour Law — governs maternity leave in the private sector. The law covers mainland companies and most free zones, except the DIFC and ADGM, which have their own employment frameworks. The current 60-day entitlement has applied since 2 February 2022, when the new Labour Law replaced the old Federal Law No. 8 of 1980 and extended the previous 45-day entitlement to 60 days.

The pay structure: 45 days full, 15 days half

The 60 days are split into two tiers:

Period	Days	Pay
First tier	45 days	Full pay (basic salary + regular allowances)
Second tier	15 days	Half pay
Total	60 days	Mixed (see worked example below)

"Full pay" means your basic salary plus regular allowances such as housing and transport. Performance bonuses, commissions and variable incentives are typically not included in the maternity pay calculation. That is an important detail to get right before you estimate what you will receive.

These are calendar days, not working days. Weekends and public holidays that fall inside your maternity leave period count toward the 60-day total — they do not extend it.

No service requirement — covered from day one

Unlike sick leave, which is unavailable during probation, maternity leave has no minimum service period. You are entitled to it from the day you join, even if you are still on probation. And even if your employment contract says nothing about maternity leave at all, the statutory right still applies — the law does not depend on your contract mentioning it.

When maternity leave can start

You can request your maternity leave any time from the last day of the month preceding your expected month of delivery, provided you submit a medical certificate confirming your expected due date. In practice, that means leave can begin up to about 30 days before the expected delivery. Many women choose to work as long as comfortably possible and save the days for after the birth, but the choice is yours.

How much maternity pay you will actually receive (worked example)

Let us work through a real example. Say your salary is AED 12,000 per month, made up of AED 7,000 basic and AED 5,000 regular allowances.

Daily rate: 12,000 ÷ 30 = AED 400 per day.
First 45 days at full pay: 45 × 400 = AED 18,000.
Last 15 days at half pay: 15 × 200 = AED 3,000.
Total maternity pay: AED 21,000 (roughly 1.75 months' salary).

The general rule: your total maternity pay equals 1.5 months at full wage plus a quarter month at half wage. End-of-service gratuity keeps accruing during your maternity leave — the leave counts toward your length of service — and your annual leave continues to accrue too. That last point is one of the most commonly missed benefits.

Extensions: 45 unpaid days, sick-baby leave and stillbirth protection

The 60 days are only the starting point. The law provides three extensions, and knowing them in advance matters most precisely when life gets difficult.

45 extra unpaid days for pregnancy- or childbirth-related illness

If, after your maternity leave ends, you or your child suffer from an illness arising from pregnancy or childbirth that prevents you from returning to work, you may take up to 45 additional days off without pay. These days can be taken consecutively or intermittently, and you must support the illness with a medical certificate from a medical authority. Note: these unpaid days do not count toward your length of service when your gratuity is calculated.

Sick or disabled newborn: 30 days fully paid, plus 30 unpaid

If your baby is born sick or with a disability, you are entitled to an additional 30 days of fully paid leave starting from the end of your maternity leave, with the option to extend for a further 30 days without pay. The child's illness or disability must be confirmed by a medical certificate from the relevant medical authority.

Stillbirth or newborn death: full leave still applies

If your pregnancy reached six months or more and you experience a stillbirth, or if your newborn passes away after birth, you are still entitled to the full maternity leave with full pay as structured above. This provision exists so that women are not financially penalised during an already devastating time.

You cannot be fired for pregnancy or maternity leave

Article 30 explicitly prohibits terminating a female worker — or even giving her notice of termination — because of pregnancy, because she took maternity leave, or because of absence from work under Article 30's provisions. If your employer pressures you, threatens non-renewal, or actually terminates you for these reasons, that is unlawful, and you can file a complaint with MOHRE.

There is one restriction on your side: if you work for another employer during your maternity leave, your employer may deprive you of your maternity wage for that period, or recover wages it already paid. Do not moonlight on maternity leave.

Nursing breaks: 1 hour a day for 6 months after you return

Once you return to work, and for a period of up to six months from the date of delivery, you are entitled to one or two rest breaks per working day to nurse your child, totalling no more than one hour per day. These breaks are fully paid and counted as part of your working hours — your employer cannot dock your salary or treat them as personal time.

Paternity leave in the UAE: 5 paid working days

The UAE Labour Law does not use the word "paternity" — it uses "parental leave" (Article 32). Either parent — the father or the mother — who has a child is entitled to five working days of paid leave to care for the child. Key rules:

5 working days on full pay (working days, unlike maternity's calendar days).
Can be taken continuously or split across separate days.
Must be taken within 6 months of the child's birth.
No minimum service requirement; you will need to show proof of the birth.
The mother can take it too — the two leave types are separate entitlements. A mother who takes maternity leave may also take the 5 parental days.

Fathers often ask whether the 5 days must start on the birth date. They do not — you have a six-month window, which is useful if the baby arrives early while you are abroad or on a project.

Sick leave during pregnancy

Before birth, pregnancy-related health complications are covered by normal sick leave rules: up to 90 days a year (15 full pay, 30 half pay, 45 unpaid), as long as you meet the usual eligibility conditions. This applies even though the illness is pregnancy-related, and it sits on top of the maternity entitlements above — it does not eat into your 60 days.

Government sector: longer leave, different rules

Government employees are covered by separate legislation, generally more generous. For comparison:

Sector	Maternity leave	Nursing breaks	Legal basis
Federal government	90 days, full pay	2 hours/day for 6 months	FDL No. 49 of 2022, Art. 19
Dubai government	90 days, full pay (extendable to 120)	2 hours/day for 1 year	Decree No. 14 of 2017
Sharjah government	120 days (90 paid + 30 unpaid)	2 hours/day for 6 months	2016 local decree
Ras Al Khaimah government	90 days	Until the child turns 1	Nov 2016 decision
Private sector (mainland)	60 days (45 full + 15 half)	1 hour/day for 6 months	FDL No. 33 of 2021, Art. 30

One more thing to know: in January 2026, the Federal National Council recommended extending federal-sector maternity leave to 98 fully paid days and adding flexible-work options for mothers of young children. This remains a recommendation, not law — do not assume it applies until it is enacted.

5 costly mistakes employees make

Assuming maternity leave needs one year of service. There is no service requirement at all — you are covered from day one, including on probation.
Counting only working days. The 60 days are calendar days. Weekends and public holidays inside the period eat into the entitlement.
Not knowing about the 45 unpaid extension. If you or your baby are unwell after the 60 days, do not simply resign — get a medical certificate and claim the extension first.
Working for someone else while on leave. Your employer can claw back your maternity pay if you do.
Accepting dismissal threats during pregnancy. Termination or even notice of termination because of pregnancy or maternity leave is prohibited. Do not sign anything under pressure — complain to MOHRE instead.

FAQs: UAE maternity and paternity leave

How many maternity leave days do I get in the UAE?

60 calendar days: 45 at full pay and 15 at half pay. No minimum service is required.

Can I start maternity leave before delivery?

Yes. You can request leave any time from the last day of the month preceding your expected month of delivery, with a medical certificate — roughly 30 days before the due date.

Is paternity leave paid in the UAE?

Yes. The father (or the mother) gets 5 working days of paid parental leave, taken within 6 months of the birth, continuously or split.

Can the mother take parental leave on top of maternity leave?

Yes. The 5-day parental leave under Article 32 is a separate entitlement available to either parent.

What happens to my salary while on maternity leave?

Full pay for 45 days, half pay for 15 days, based on basic salary plus regular allowances (bonuses and commissions excluded).

Do weekends count in the 60 days?

Yes. The 60 days are calendar days — weekends and public holidays inside the period count toward the total.

Can my employer fire me while I am pregnant or on maternity leave?

No. Terminating you — or even serving notice — because of pregnancy, maternity leave or related absence is prohibited by law.

Does maternity leave count toward my gratuity?

Yes. The paid 60-day maternity leave counts toward your length of service for end-of-service gratuity. Only the extra 45 unpaid days for illness do not.

What if my baby is born sick or disabled?

You get an additional 30 days of fully paid leave after your maternity leave ends, with the option of 30 more unpaid days, on presentation of a medical certificate.

Does maternity leave apply during probation?

Yes. There is no service requirement — maternity leave applies even during probation. See our probation rules guide for related rights.

The bottom line

The UAE's maternity framework is straightforward once you know the numbers: 60 days (45 full + 15 half), no service requirement, early start before delivery, strong dismissal protection, and meaningful extensions when things do not go to plan — plus 5 paid parental days for fathers. The biggest risk is not the law but ignorance of it: employees who do not know about the extensions, the nursing breaks, or the termination ban leave money and protection on the table. Bookmark this guide, share it with a colleague who needs it, and talk to MOHRE if your employer will not honour it.

Sources: Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 (UAE Labour Law), Articles 30 and 32; Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022; MOHRE guidance; Khaleej Times, Gulf News and Emirates247 reporting on 2026 entitlements. This article is general information, not legal advice.