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UAE Labour Law: What Happens When Leave Days Meet Official Holidays?
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UAE Labour Law: What Happens When Leave Days Meet Official Holidays?

Understanding UAE labour laws regarding annual leaves, weekend policies, and ‘sandwich leaves’. Know your rights as an employee in the UAE private sector.

Vadim Kouznetsov
1–2 minutes
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Are you working in the UAE private sector and puzzled about how your company calculates leave days? Let’s break down what the UAE Labour Law says about taking leaves before weekends and public holidays.

What Does the Law Say?

According to Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, here’s what you need to know about leave calculations:

  1. Annual and sick leaves are calculated using calendar days, not working days
  2. The starting date of your leave determines how it’s counted
  3. Official holidays within your leave period become part of your annual leave

Weekend Leave Calculation: A Practical Example

Let’s say you take a Friday off:

  • If you return on Monday: Only Friday counts as leave
  • If you return on Tuesday: Friday through Monday count as leave days

Understanding ‘Sandwich Leave’

The concept of ‘sandwich leave’ applies when official holidays fall within your leave period. Article 29 (7) of the Federal Labour Law states that such holidays become part of your annual leave unless:

  • Your employment contract states otherwise
  • Company regulations provide better terms

What Are Your Rights?

If your company is counting weekend days as leave days when you’re returning to work at the start of the week, you have options:

  1. First step: Discuss with your HR department
  2. Show them the relevant labour law provisions
  3. If unresolved, file a complaint with MOHRE

Steps to Address Leave Calculation Issues

  1. Review your employment contract
  2. Document your leave applications
  3. Keep track of official holidays
  4. Maintain communication records with HR
  5. Know your rights under UAE labour law

Expert Legal Perspective

Legal experts emphasize that the key factor is not when you request the leave but when it begins. Companies should not count weekend days as leave days unless they’re part of a longer leave period.

For the latest updates on UAE labour laws and employee rights, stay connected with JobXDubai.

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