"Female employees covered by UAE federal labour law are entitled to 60 days of maternity leave: 45 days at full wage followed by 15 days at half wage. There is no minimum service requirement, and the entitlement applies even during probation."
That means an employee who has joined three months ago is entitled to the same statutory maternity leave entitlement as an employee who has worked for the same employer for ten years.
However, the rules are different in special employment jurisdictions such as DIFC and ADGM, which have their own employment regulations. This distinction is important for employers operating across mainland UAE, free zones and financial free zones.
Maternity Leave in UAE at a Glance
| Situation | Leave entitlement | Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Standard maternity leave under federal law | 60 calendar days | 45 days full wage + 15 days half wage |
| Sick or disabled child requiring constant care | Additional 30 days | Full wage |
| Further extension for a sick or disabled child | Additional 30 days | Unpaid |
| Mother or child's illness resulting from pregnancy or childbirth | Up to 45 days | Unpaid |
The additional 30 days of fully paid leave applies when a child is born sick or with a disability and requires constant care, supported by a medical report. The employee may then extend this leave by a further 30 days without pay.
Separately, an employee may take up to 45 days of unpaid absence after maternity leave if she or her child is suffering from an illness resulting from pregnancy or childbirth that prevents her from returning to work. A medical certificate is required, and this period is excluded from the service period used to calculate end-of-service benefits or retirement contributions where applicable.
How Many Days of Maternity Leave Are Available in the UAE?
Under UAE federal labour law, female employees are entitled to 60 days of maternity leave:
- 45 days at full wage
- 15 days at half wage
The law does not impose a minimum length of service for this entitlement. MOHRE also confirms that maternity leave applies to employees who have been with their employer for less than one year and to employees who are still within their probation period.
Is maternity leave available during probation in the UAE?
Yes. A female employee does not lose her statutory maternity leave entitlement because she is on probation. MOHRE's guidance specifically states that maternity leave applies regardless of whether the employee has completed one year of service, including during probation.
Who Is Eligible for Maternity Leave in the UAE?
For employees covered by Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, there is no minimum service period for maternity leave.
The federal entitlement applies regardless of whether the employee has:
- Less than one year of service
- More than one year of service
- Recently joined the organisation
- Not yet completed probation
The applicable employment contract and jurisdiction should still be checked, particularly for employees working in DIFC or ADGM, where separate employment regulations apply.
When Can Maternity Leave Start in the UAE?
A female employee may request maternity leave from the last day of the month immediately preceding the month in which she is expected to give birth, provided the expected delivery date is supported by a medical certificate.
The period forms part of the statutory maternity leave entitlement. It does not create an additional 60-day period after childbirth.
For example, if the expected delivery falls in October, maternity leave can begin from the last day of September, subject to the applicable medical certification requirements.
What Happens If the Baby Is Stillborn?
The employee remains entitled to the statutory maternity leave if the delivery occurs six months or more after the pregnancy began, whether the child is born alive or is stillborn and subsequently dies.
Does Maternity Leave Affect Other Leave Entitlements?
No. Taking maternity leave or the related absence provided under Article 30 does not prejudice the employee's right to other statutory leave entitlements.
Employers should therefore avoid treating maternity leave as a replacement for annual leave or other statutory leave.
Nursing Breaks After Maternity Leave
After returning from maternity leave, a female employee is entitled to one or two breastfeeding breaks per working day for up to six months from the date of delivery.
The total duration of the breaks must not exceed one hour per day.
The law therefore does not require every employer to structure this as exactly two 30-minute breaks. The entitlement can consist of one or two breaks, provided the total does not exceed one hour.
Job Protection During Pregnancy and Maternity Leave
Under Article 30, an employer may not terminate the employee's service or give notice of termination because of pregnancy, maternity leave, or an absence taken under the maternity-leave provisions.
Employees who believe their employment rights have been violated can seek guidance or raise a complaint through the authority responsible for their employment jurisdiction. For employees covered by federal labour law, this is generally MOHRE. DIFC and ADGM have their own employment frameworks and dispute-resolution mechanisms.
Maternity Leave in Mainland UAE vs DIFC vs ADGM
The UAE does not have one maternity-leave rule that applies identically to every employment jurisdiction.
Employees covered by federal labour law and employees working for entities governed by DIFC or ADGM employment regulations have different statutory entitlements.
| Employer / jurisdiction | Maternity leave | Maternity pay | Service requirement for statutory maternity pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mainland UAE and most free zones | 60 calendar days | 45 days full wage + 15 days half wage | No minimum service requirement |
| DIFC | 65 working days | 33 working days full pay + 32 working days at 50% | 12 months' continuous service |
| ADGM | 65 business days | 33 business days full pay + 32 business days at 50% | 12 months' continuous service |
DIFC's Employment Law provides a minimum maternity-leave entitlement of 65 working days. Statutory maternity pay requires 12 months of continuous employment before the expected or actual week of childbirth, with the first 33 working days paid at the normal daily wage and the next 32 at 50%.
ADGM's Employment Regulations 2024, which came into effect on 1 April 2025, provide 65 business days of maternity leave. Its current guidance confirms 33 business days at 100% of daily wage and 32 business days at 50%, with 12 months of continuous employment required for maternity pay.
Important: the 12-month requirement in DIFC and ADGM relates to eligibility for statutory maternity pay. It should not be described simply as a 12-month requirement to have maternity leave.
Parental Leave for Both Parents
Maternity leave is separate from UAE parental leave.
Under Article 32 of the federal labour law, both the mother and father are entitled to five working days of paid parental leave following the birth of a child. The leave can be taken continuously or intermittently within six months from the date of birth.
For more information on parental and paternity leave, see our guide to paternity and parental leave in the UAE.
Adoption Leave in the UAE
The federal UAE labour law does not provide a separate statutory adoption-leave entitlement equivalent to maternity leave.
However, employers may provide additional adoption-related benefits through their employment contracts or internal policies.
The position can also differ in special employment jurisdictions. For example, DIFC's maternity provisions extend certain maternity rights to a female employee adopting a child younger than three months.
Employees should therefore check the employment law applicable to their organisation and any contractual benefits before assuming that adoption leave is available.
For HR Teams: How to Administer Maternity Leave Correctly
Maternity leave is not simply a leave-balance transaction. HR and payroll teams need to apply the correct entitlement, pay treatment and jurisdiction.
1. Do not apply a minimum-service condition under federal law
The federal maternity entitlement does not depend on completing one year of service. It also applies during probation.
HR policies that still contain an old minimum-tenure requirement should be reviewed.
2. Configure the 45-day and 15-day pay periods correctly
Federal maternity leave has two pay stages:
Days 1–45: full wage
Days 46–60: half wage
Payroll systems should automatically apply the correct rate rather than relying on manual calculations.
3. Separate federal and special-jurisdiction rules
A group operating in mainland UAE, DIFC and ADGM should not automatically apply one maternity policy to every employee.
DIFC and ADGM have separate employment frameworks and different maternity-leave and pay structures.
4. Track additional leave separately
Leave relating to a sick or disabled child and the 45-day unpaid illness provision should be recorded separately from the standard 60-day maternity entitlement because they arise under different provisions of Article 30.
5. Automate breastfeeding-break eligibility
The federal law provides one or two breastfeeding breaks per day for up to six months from the date of delivery, with a combined maximum of one hour per day.
An HRMS can help HR teams track the employee's return-to-work date and the period during which the entitlement applies.
Key Takeaway for Employers
For most employees covered by UAE federal labour law, the rule is straightforward: 60 days of maternity leave, with 45 days at full wage and 15 days at half wage, with no minimum service requirement and no probation exclusion.
The complexity starts when an organisation operates across different employment jurisdictions. DIFC and ADGM have separate maternity-leave frameworks, including 65 working or business days and different requirements for statutory maternity pay.
For HR and payroll teams, the safest approach is to map each employee to the correct employment jurisdiction, automate the applicable leave and pay rules, and keep maternity, parental, nursing and related medical leave records separate.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days is maternity leave in the UAE?
Female employees covered by UAE federal labour law are entitled to 60 days of maternity leave: 45 days at full wage and 15 days at half wage.
DIFC provides 65 working days, while ADGM provides 65 business days under their respective employment regulations.
Do I need one year of service to get maternity leave in the UAE?
No, not under federal UAE labour law. There is no minimum service requirement, and MOHRE confirms that maternity leave applies even during probation.
DIFC and ADGM have separate rules, including a 12-month continuous-service requirement for statutory maternity pay.
How is maternity leave pay calculated in the UAE?
Under federal labour law, the first 45 days are paid at full wage, followed by 15 days at half wage.
The exact payroll calculation should be based on the employee's applicable wage under the employment contract and UAE labour-law requirements.
Can I start maternity leave before giving birth?
Yes. Under Article 30, maternity leave can begin from the last day of the month immediately preceding the month in which the employee is expected to give birth, subject to the required medical certification.
What happens if my child is born sick or with a disability?
If the child requires a constant companion and the condition is supported by a medical report, the employee can receive an additional 30 days of leave at full wage, followed by a further 30 days without wage.
How long do breastfeeding breaks last after maternity leave?
For up to six months from the date of delivery, a female employee is entitled to one or two breastfeeding breaks per day, with the total duration not exceeding one hour per day.
Is maternity leave different in Dubai?
For mainland employers in Dubai, the federal 60-day maternity-leave rules apply. DIFC employers are different because DIFC has its own employment law and provides 65 working days of maternity leave.
Is maternity leave different in Abu Dhabi?
For employers covered by federal labour law, the federal 60-day maternity entitlement applies. ADGM is an exception because entities registered in ADGM are governed by the ADGM Employment Regulations, which provide 65 business days of maternity leave.
What is the difference between maternity leave and parental leave in the UAE?
Maternity leave is the specific leave available to a female employee in connection with childbirth. Federal parental leave is a separate entitlement of five working days for either parent, which can be taken within six months of the child's birth.
