Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE's vice president, prime minister, and ruler of Dubai, issued an order pertaining to marriage leave for UAE nationals working for the Dubai government on Wednesday, July 16.
As per the guidelines outlined in Decree No. (31) of 2025, an employee is entitled to ten working days of fully compensated marital leave. Additionally, the order permits the employee to combine their marital leave with any other leave to which they may be entitled under the laws governing their employer's human resources issues.
Marriage leave is granted if the employee's spouse is a UAE citizen, the probation period is completed, and the marriage contract is certified and dated after December 31, 2024. A copy of the contract must be submitted once.
Employees get full pay and benefits during marriage leave, which can be used within a year of the marriage contract, all at once or in parts. With valid reason and supervisor approval, it can be carried over to the next year. Employees cannot be called to work during marriage leave unless they are military personnel. If called for national or reserve service, the leave is paused and extended, with unused days available for one year after returning to work.
An employee's right to their marital leave, or any unused portion of it, if they did not use it while working for the prior government agency, is preserved if they are moved or assigned to another government agency.
The decree applies to UAE government employees, those in special development and free zones like DIFC, UAE military personnel (except candidates), judiciary members in Dubai, and any other category approved by the Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council.The decisions required to carry out the provisions of this Decree will be made by the Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai.
Conflicting provisions are repealed. The decree takes effect on January 1, 2025, and will be published in the Official Gazette.
