UAE allows employers to set the starting date of the employee's leave

Once an employee completes one year of service, the employer has the authority to decide the commencement date of their leave and, if required, divide it into two separate periods.

As per UAE law, private sector employees who have served for one year are eligible for a fully paid annual leave of 30 days. Meanwhile, those with less than one year of service can also enjoy annual leaves after completing six months, with the entitlement of two days per month of fully paid leave.

On Monday, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) took to Twitter to outline the annual leave conditions for private sector employees.

As per the tweet, the employer has the authority to determine the leave dates based on work necessities, subject to mutual agreement with the employee. However, the employer is obligated to inform the employee about the leave dates at least one month in advance.

If an employee's service ends before utilizing their annual leave balance, they will receive leave entitlement for the portion of the last year of service.

According to the website, with the employer's consent and adherence to company regulations, the employee can carry over their annual leave balance to the next year. In such a scenario, the employee will receive payment for the days worked during the annual leave, calculated based on the basic salary.

The employer cannot prevent the employee from utilizing their accrued annual leave for more than two years. Upon termination of employment, any accrued leaves will be calculated based on the basic salary alone.

The duration of annual leave will be calculated to include official holidays specified by law or agreement, as well as any sick leaves that coincide with the annual leave period unless the employment contract or company regulations stipulate otherwise.

News Source: Khaleej Times