UAE Maternity Leave Pay Calculator
Based on Articles 1, 30, 32 and 67 of UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021. Last reviewed: 2026-09-23.
This free calculator works out the leave around a birth under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021: the mother’s 60 days of maternity leave (Article 30), the extra leave when the child needs a constant companion, unpaid illness absence, and the 5 working days of parental leave for either parent (Article 32). Enter the monthly wage and the case that applies. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent anywhere.
Maternity Leave Rules
A female worker is entitled to 60 days of maternity leave: the first 45 days with full wage and the following 15 days with half wage (Article 30(1)). Article 30 sets no minimum service and no probation condition.
The leave applies where the delivery took place 6 months or more into pregnancy, whether the baby was stillborn or born alive and then died (Article 30(3)).
It can start, at her request, from the last day of the month before the month in which the birth is expected, proven by a medical certificate (Article 30(5)).
After the maternity leave she may be absent without wage for up to 45 days, continuous or intermittent, if her own or her child’s illness resulting from pregnancy or childbirth prevents her return, proven by a medical certificate. That period does not count towards service for end-of-service benefits or towards pension contributions (Article 30(2)).
If the child is sick, or is a child of determination whose health condition requires a constant companion according to a medical report, she is entitled to 30 more days with full pay after the maternity leave, extendable by 30 days without pay (Article 30(4)).
After returning, for up to 6 months from the delivery, she is entitled to one or two breaks a day to nurse her child, together not exceeding one hour (Article 30(9)).
Being on maternity leave does not affect her other leaves (Article 30(6)). The employer may not terminate her service, or give notice, because of pregnancy, maternity leave or the absences above (Article 30(8)); and if she works for another employer during the leave, the original employer may withhold or recover the leave wages (Article 30(7)).
Parental Leave for Fathers and Mothers
Article 32(1)(b) grants a paid parental leave of 5 working days to a worker — the father or the mother — who has a newly born child, to take care of the child. It may be taken continuously or intermittently within 6 months from the date of birth.
The Implementing Regulation adds that the worker submits proof of the birth, and that parental leave may be combined with bereavement, annual and unpaid leave (Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022, Article 21).
For a monthly-paid worker the salary simply continues through those 5 days. The calculator shows their value at the daily wage so they sit on the same scale as the other rows.
How Maternity Leave Pay Is Calculated
Daily wage = monthly wage ÷ 30. Article 67 makes the month 30 days for every calculation under the law.
Maternity leave pay = 45 × daily wage + 15 × daily wage × 0.5 — the equivalent of 52.5 days at full wage.
A child who needs a constant companion adds 30 × daily wage. The unpaid days (illness absence, the companion-leave extension) add nothing.
Parental leave is valued at 5 × daily wage.
Each line is rounded to fils once, and the total is the sum of the rounded lines, so the figures on screen add up.
Assumptions and Limits
Full wage, not basic: Article 30 says “full wage” and “half wage”, and Article 1 defines the wage as the basic wage plus the cash allowances and benefits allocated to the worker. The law says “basic wage” wherever it means basic, and does not here, so this calculator uses the full wage. The English text is a translation of the Arabic original, so the calculator prices whatever monthly figure you enter — enter the basic salary if that is what your employer pays leave on.
An earlier delivery: Article 30 grants maternity leave for a delivery 6 months or more into pregnancy and says nothing about an earlier one, so the calculator computes no maternity leave for it rather than guess.
Parental leave is counted in working days, while Article 67 prices a day at 1/30 of the month; the amount shown is a valuation, not an extra payment.
The dates in the law — when the leave may start, the 6-month windows for nursing breaks and parental leave — depend on the birth date and are stated here, not calculated.
A contract or company policy may give more than the law; the figures here are what the law requires. Federal government, free-zone (DIFC, ADGM) and domestic-worker rules differ.
UAE Maternity Leave Pay Examples
Worked examples on a monthly wage of AED 12,000 — a daily wage of 12,000 ÷ 30 = AED 400:
Maternity leave, 60 days
45 d × AED 400 × 1 + 15 d × AED 400 × 0.5
= AED 18,000.00 + AED 3,000.00 = AED 21,000.00
Plus the mother’s 5 working days of parental leave
5 d × AED 400 × 1
= AED 2,000.00, for a total of AED 23,000.00
With a child who needs a constant companion
30 d × AED 400 × 1
= AED 12,000.00 more, for a total of AED 35,000.00
A father’s parental leave
5 d × AED 400 × 1
= AED 2,000.00 — the salary continues for the 5 working days
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is maternity leave in the UAE private sector?
60 days under Article 30(1) of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021: the first 45 days with full wage and the next 15 days with half wage.
Is UAE maternity leave paid on basic or full salary?
Article 30 says “full wage”, and Article 1 defines the wage as basic plus cash allowances, so this calculator uses the full wage. If your employer pays maternity leave on the basic salary, enter the basic to see that figure.
Do I need a year of service to get maternity leave?
No. Article 30 of the current Decree-Law sets no minimum service period or probation condition for maternity leave.
How much paternity or parental leave is there in the UAE?
Five working days of paid parental leave for the father or the mother of a newborn, continuous or intermittent, within 6 months of the birth (Article 32(1)(b)).
What if the baby is stillborn?
The full maternity leave applies if the delivery took place 6 months or more into pregnancy, whether the baby was born dead or born alive and then died (Article 30(3)).
Can maternity leave be extended?
Yes, in two cases. Up to 45 days without wage for her or her child’s illness resulting from pregnancy or childbirth (Article 30(2)); and, for a sick child or a child of determination who needs a constant companion, 30 days with full pay plus up to 30 days without pay (Article 30(4)).
How long are nursing breaks in the UAE?
One or two breaks a day, together not more than one hour, for up to 6 months from the delivery (Article 30(9)).
Official Sources
Based on Articles 1, 30, 32 and 67 of UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021. Last reviewed: 2026-09-23.
Disclaimer
* This calculation is an estimate under UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021; a contract or company policy may pay more. Last reviewed: 2026-09-23. This is not legal advice; for official guidance, contact MOHRE.