Question: I am employed at a company in mainland Dubai and am considering a longer break to assist my wife following childbirth. I am contemplating combining my paternity leave with my annual leave. Can I take both my paternity leave and annual leave concurrently? Your guidance is appreciated.
Answer: In the UAE, employees are granted 5 working days of parental leave, which must be utilized within 6 months from the child's birth. This is in line with Article 32(1)(b) of Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 concerning Employment Relations, which stipulates, “An employee is entitled to paid parental leave for 5 working days for an employee (father or mother) who has a child, to care for their child. This leave can be taken consecutively or otherwise within 6 months following the child's birth.” Additionally, a parent seeking parental leave must furnish their employer with a copy of the child's birth certificate, as required by Article 21(4) of Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022 on the Implementation of Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 regarding Employment Relations, which states, “Subject to the provisions of Article 32 of the Decree Law, the employee is entitled to parental leave as stipulated in the Decree Law, provided that they submit proof of their child's birth.” An employee may combine parental leave with annual leave, as per Article 21(5) of Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022, which allows for the combination of bereavement leave, parental leave, annual leave, and unpaid leave. Therefore, as a parent of a newborn, you are entitled to 5 working days of leave within 6 months of your child's birth, and you may also combine this with your annual leave, provided it is also taken within the same 6-month period.
Ashish Mehta is the founder and Managing Partner of Ashish Mehta & Associates. He is qualified to practice law in Dubai, the United Kingdom, and India. For more details about his firm, visit www.amalawyers.com. Readers can email their questions to news@khaleejtimes.com or send them to Legal View, Khaleej Times, PO Box 11243, Dubai.
