Dubai: Women working in the UAE’s private sector are entitled to various leave benefits that are stipulated within the UAE’s Labour Law – Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021.
However, if you had a child a few years ago and had taken maternity leave, did you know that now the maternity leave benefits and entitlements have slightly changed, with the new law coming into effect from 2022?
Here is a breakdown of three major changes to the entitlements of new mums who are working in the UAE’s private sector.
1. Total maternity leave duration – 60 days from 45 days previously
While earlier women were entitled to a 45-day maternity leave, the new UAE Labour Law has provided women with a total of 60 days maternity leave, with the following break up in salary entitlements:
a. The first 45 days with full pay.
b. The next 15 days with half pay.
2. Additional leave entitlements, due to medical reasons
The earlier labour law provided regulations in Article 30 for when a working mother may need to be absent from work due to health-related complications, allowing for 100 additional days of leave without pay, provided it is applied for with the necessary medical certificates.
However, the new UAE Labour Law breaks down the additional medical leave entitlements, which may arise due to the health conditions of the mother or child in the following ways:
Article 30 (2) states that if a female worker exhausts her maternity leave, she may be absent from work without pay for no more than 45 successive or interrupted days, if such absence is due to illness occurring to her or her child as a result of pregnancy or delivery and preventing her to report to work. “Such illness shall be proved by a medical certificate issued by the medical institution, and such period shall not be counted in the period of service for which the female worker is entitled to severance pay or subscription to the pension system according to the legislation in force in the UAE.”
Article 30 (4) also states that a female worker who delivers a sick child or a child with special needs ‘People of Determination’ whose health condition requires a continuous escort based on a medical report from the medical institution, shall be entitled to 30 days' leave with full pay, commencing from the expiry of the maternity leave. Such period can be extended for another 30 days.
3. One hour nursing breaks – Six months from 18 months previously
Female workers are also entitled to receive a nursing break which can be taken as a single break or broken up into two breaks, as long as the total duration does not exceed one hour. However, there are some changes that you should keep in mind.
While the previous law, in Article 31, stated that a woman is entitled to such breaks for 18 months following the date of delivery, the new law states that the female worker shall be entitled to such a break for a period not exceeding six months following the date of delivery.
For a detailed look at all your entitlements as an expectant or new mum working in the UAE, read our guide here.
