UAE Maternity Leave Calculator 2026
Get your UAE maternity leave dates and pay under Labour Law Article 30 — 45 days full pay, 15 days half pay, optional unpaid extension — from your expected delivery date.
| Leave starts | — |
|---|---|
| Full-pay period (45 days) | — |
| Half-pay period (15 days) | — |
| Return to work | — |
| Daily rate (salary ÷ 30) | — |
| Pay lost compared with normal salary | — |
| Nursing breaks | — |
In short
UAE maternity leave is 60 days for every private-sector employee regardless of service: 45 days at full pay and 15 at half pay, which may start up to 30 days before the expected delivery date, plus up to 45 unpaid days for a related illness and 30 extra paid days if the child has a disability (Labour Law Art. 30). Fathers get 5 working days.
Who this is for: Expectant mothers working in the UAE private sector, and HR staff planning maternity leave dates and pay.
Maternity leave under UAE Labour Law Article 30
- 60 days of maternity leave for every female employee in the private sector, regardless of length of service: 45 days at full pay followed by 15 days at half pay.
- Leave can begin up to 30 days before the expected delivery date; the days run consecutively.
- An extra 45 days unpaid may be added for an illness resulting from pregnancy or childbirth, with a medical certificate; and 30 extra paid days (extendable by 30 unpaid) if the child is born with a disability or illness requiring constant care.
- After returning, the mother is entitled to two paid nursing breaks of 30 minutes a day for six months.
- Fathers get 5 working days of paid parental leave within six months of the birth (Art. 32), and in Dubai government and some free zones more.
- Dismissal because of pregnancy or maternity leave is unlawful (Art. 30(6)).
Pay is calculated on the salary the employee would normally receive; this calculator uses the monthly salary ÷ 30 convention.
See also: UAE Sick Leave Pay Calculator.
Assumptions
- 60 consecutive days from the chosen start (up to 30 days before the due date): 45 at full pay, 15 at half, from the UAE rules file.
- Optional 30 paid disability days and up to 45 unpaid illness days are appended in that order.
- Daily rate = monthly salary ÷ 30; nursing-break end date is 6 months after return.
Worked example
Leave starts 15 February. Days 1–45 (15 Feb – 31 Mar) at full pay = AED 18,000; days 46–60 (1 – 15 Apr) at half pay = AED 3,000. Return to work 16 April.
Total pay during leave = AED 21,000; AED 3,000 less than two months' normal salary.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a year of service to get maternity leave?
No — since the 2021 law the 60 days apply from day one of employment. The old 45-day / one-year-service rule no longer applies.
Can I take my annual leave on top?
Yes, with the employer's agreement. Annual leave accrues as normal during maternity leave, which counts as service.
Is maternity leave paid in DIFC and ADGM?
DIFC gives 65 working days (first 33 full pay, next 32 half pay after one year of service); ADGM 65 working days on similar terms. This calculator covers mainland MOHRE employers.
What if the baby is stillborn or dies?
The full maternity leave entitlement still applies under Article 30.
How many days of maternity leave in the UAE?
60 days: 45 at full pay and 15 at half pay, for every female private-sector employee, with no service requirement.
Can maternity leave start before the birth?
Yes, up to 30 days before the expected delivery date; the 60 days then run consecutively.
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