Duration of Sick Leave Eligibility for Employees in the UAE

In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), employees are entitled to sick leave under specific regulations outlined in Article 31(3) of the UAE Labor Law. Here’s what you need to know about sick leave entitlements in the UAE:

1. Duration of Sick Leave:

An employee is eligible for sick leave of up to 90 days per year.

This entitlement begins only after the completion of the probationary period.

2. Sick Leave Payment Structure:

Sick leave can be continuous or intermittent.

Payment during sick leave is structured as follows:

Full pay for the first 15 days of sick leave.

Half pay for the subsequent 30 days.

No pay for the remaining 45 days.

3. Sick Leave During Probation:

• During the probationary period, an employee may take sick leave without pay, subject to the approval of the employer and based on a medical report justifying the leave’s necessity.

4. Exclusions from Paid Sick Leave:

Paid sick leave is not applicable in the following situations:

During the probation period.

If the illness results directly from the employee’s misconduct, such as alcohol or narcotics consumption.

If the employee violates safety instructions as per UAE regulations and the company’s rules, provided the employee was informed of these rules.

5. Notification to Employer:

Employees must notify their employer of their sickness within a maximum of three days.

A medical report from a recognized medical entity must be submitted to the employer to substantiate the need for sick leave.

6. Termination During Sick Leave:

An employer cannot terminate an employee or issue a termination notice while the employee is on sick leave.

If an employee exhausts all 90 days of sick leave and remains unable to return to work, the employer may then terminate the employee’s services.

In such cases, the employee is entitled to end-of-service benefits as per the provisions of the UAE Labor Law.

Please note that these provisions do not apply to sick leave resulting from occupational illnesses.

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