Does Maternity Leave Affect Your UAE Gratuity? What Every Working Mother Should Know (2026)
If you're planning a family while working in the UAE, one question rarely gets a straight answer: does taking maternity leave affect your end-of-service gratuity? The answer depends entirely on which part of your leave you're talking about — and the distinction matters more than most guides let on. The Short Answer Your standard 60-day paid maternity leave does not reduce your gratuity . It counts as normal service, exactly like any other paid period of employment. However, if you take the additional unpaid extensions available under the law — for pregnancy-related illness or a personal extension — those extra unpaid days are excluded from your qualifying service period, the same way any other unpaid leave is treated under Article 51. How UAE Maternity Leave Is Structured Under Article 30 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, every female employee in the UAE private sector is entitled to maternity leave regardless of how long she has worked for her employer: 60 day...