UAE Maternity Leave Entitlement: 60 Days, Full & Half Pay Explained
UAE maternity leave is 60 days — but not all of it is at full pay, and it's due from your very first day of work. Here's exactly what you're entitled to and what it's worth.
Maternity leave in the UAE private sector is set by Article 30 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021. The headline figure is 60 days, but the pay structure has two tiers — and there are useful extras for a sick newborn and for nursing mothers returning to work.
The 60-day structure
| Portion | Days | Pay |
|---|---|---|
| First 45 days | 45 | Full pay (100%) |
| Next 15 days | 15 | Half pay (50%) |
| Total | 60 calendar days | — |
So the 60 days are continuous, but only the first 45 are at full salary; the final 15 are at half. Our UAE Maternity Leave Calculator turns this into an actual dirham figure once you enter your salary.
No minimum service — it applies from day one
Unlike gratuity (which needs a full year) or ILOE (which needs 12 months of premiums), UAE maternity leave has no tenure requirement. It applies from your very first day of employment. Whether you've been there a decade or a week, the 45+15 structure is the same.
Worked example
Layla earns AED 12,000/month. Her daily rate is 12,000 ÷ 30 = AED 400.
- First 45 days at full pay = 45 × 400 = AED 18,000
- Next 15 days at half pay = 15 × 400 × 50% = AED 3,000
- Total maternity pay over 60 days = AED 21,000
Extra leave for a sick or disabled newborn
If your baby is born sick or with a disability, you're entitled to a further 30 days of fully paid leave, plus an additional 30 days unpaid, to care for the newborn — supported by a medical certificate.
Nursing breaks after you return
Back at work, nursing mothers get up to 1 hour per day of fully paid nursing breaks for 6 months after returning from maternity leave.
Pregnancy-related illness leave
Beyond the 60 days, a further 45 days of unpaid leave is available for pregnancy- or childbirth-related illness, on a medical certificate.
Who pays?
Your employer pays maternity leave in full. There is no separate government or social-insurance maternity fund for the private sector in the UAE — the cost sits with the employer, which is why the half-pay tier and the day-one eligibility are set out so precisely in the law.
How the UAE compares
The UAE's 60 days is on the lower side regionally — Oman now gives 98 days and India 182 days (26 weeks), both at full pay — but the UAE's zero minimum service is unusually employee-friendly. See the full picture in our GCC & Asia maternity leave comparison.
Quick reference
| Item | Rule (Art. 30) |
|---|---|
| Total leave | 60 calendar days |
| First 45 days | Full pay |
| Last 15 days | Half pay |
| Minimum service | None — from day one |
| Sick/disabled newborn | +30 days full, +30 days unpaid |
| Nursing breaks | 1 hr/day paid, for 6 months |
| Who pays | Employer, in full |
Source: UAE Federal Decree-Law 33/2021 (Art. 30), as documented on our UAE maternity leave guide.
Frequently asked questions
How many days of paid maternity leave do I get in the UAE?
60 calendar days total: the first 45 days at full (100%) pay, and the remaining 15 days at half (50%) pay — under Article 30 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021.
Do I need a minimum length of service to qualify for UAE maternity leave?
No — it applies from your very first day of employment. There's no tenure requirement, unlike some other UAE benefits.
What if my baby is born sick or with a disability?
You're entitled to a further 30 days of fully paid leave, plus an additional 30 days unpaid, to care for a sick or disabled newborn, with a medical certificate.
Do I get paid breaks for nursing after I return to work?
Yes — up to 1 hour per day, fully paid, for 6 months after you return from maternity leave.
Who pays for UAE maternity leave — the employer or the government?
Your employer pays it in full. There's no separate government or social-insurance maternity fund for the private sector in the UAE.