UAE labour law guarantees 30 days of annual leave per year after one year of service, and employers cannot arbitrarily deny its use. Learn your rights when your company refuses to approve leave extension despite available days.
Our retelling · details in the original publication
Under UAE Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on Employment Relations, every employee with more than one year of continuous service is entitled to 30 days of annual leave per completed year. This is a legal requirement, not a discretionary benefit.
If you have remaining leave days and request an extension due to emergency circumstances, your employer cannot simply refuse without legitimate grounds. The UAE employment framework establishes clear procedures: companies may coordinate timing, but cannot deny you the use of accrued leave.
What to do: submit your extension request in writing with an explanation of the emergency. Keep all correspondence. If your employer continues refusing despite available leave balance, this constitutes a breach of labour rights, and you can escalate to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE).
Importantly: refusing approved leave can be used against the employer in labour disputes. Document everything in writing.
For full legal details and case precedents, see the original publication.
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