UAE Sick Leave Pay Calculator 2026
Work out how much of a sick-leave spell is paid in full, at half pay or unpaid under UAE Labour Law, and what the salary deduction will be.
| Days at full pay | — |
|---|---|
| Days at half pay | — |
| Unpaid days | — |
| Days beyond the 90-day entitlement | — |
| Daily rate (salary ÷ 30) | — |
| Sick pay received for this spell | — |
| Sick days remaining this year after this spell | — |
In short
UAE Labour Law (Art. 31) gives employees who have passed probation up to 90 days of sick leave a year: the first 15 days at full pay, the next 30 at half pay and the remaining 45 unpaid. A medical certificate must be provided within 3 days, and the daily rate is usually monthly salary divided by 30.
Who this is for: UAE employees on sick leave, and HR or payroll staff working out the full-pay, half-pay and unpaid split under Article 31.
How sick leave is paid under UAE Labour Law
Article 31 of Federal Decree-Law 33 of 2021 gives every private-sector employee who has completed probation up to 90 days of sick leave per year, continuous or intermittent, paid as follows:
- First 15 days — full pay
- Next 30 days — half pay
- Following 45 days — unpaid
The employee must notify the employer within 3 working days and provide a medical report from an approved health facility. No sick pay is due for illness caused by the employee's own misconduct (for example, drug or alcohol use), and an employer may terminate after the 90 days are exhausted — with full end-of-service dues. During probation there is no statutory paid sick leave.
The daily rate here is the monthly salary ÷ 30, the convention used for most UAE payroll deductions.
See also: UAE Gratuity Calculator.
Assumptions
- Entitlement 90 days per year: days 1–15 full pay, 16–45 half pay, 46–90 unpaid, from the UAE rules file.
- Daily rate = monthly salary ÷ 30; the salary figure is whatever you enter (full or basic).
- On probation the whole spell is treated as unpaid; days beyond 90 are shown separately.
Worked example
Daily rate = 9,000 ÷ 30 = AED 300. Days 1–15 at full pay = AED 4,500; days 16–20 (5 days) at half pay = AED 750.
Sick pay received = AED 5,250; normal pay for 20 days would be AED 6,000, so the deduction is AED 750. 70 sick days remain for the year.
Frequently asked questions
Is sick leave paid on basic or full salary?
The law refers to 'wage', which most employers read as full salary including allowances. Some contracts state basic salary for leave calculations — check yours; this calculator uses whatever figure you enter.
Can my employer deduct sick days from my annual leave?
Not without your agreement. Sick leave and annual leave are separate entitlements; if you fall ill during annual leave the sick days can be reclassified on production of a medical certificate.
Does the 90-day entitlement reset on 1 January?
It runs per year of service measured from the first day of the sick leave, not the calendar year, which is why the calculator asks how many days you have already used in the current 12-month period.
What about DIFC and ADGM?
They have their own employment laws: DIFC gives 60 days (first 10 full, next 20 half, rest unpaid); ADGM gives 60 days with the same split. This calculator covers mainland MOHRE employers only.
How many sick days do I get in the UAE?
90 days a year after probation: 15 at full pay, 30 at half pay and 45 unpaid, under Article 31 of the Labour Law.
Is sick leave paid during probation in the UAE?
No statutory paid sick leave applies during probation; some employers grant it voluntarily.
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