Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has issued Decree No. (31) of 2025, granting UAE national government employees in Dubai a fully paid 10-day marriage leave, effective January 1, 2025. The decree includes provisions for combining leave, postponement, and applicability across various government sectors.
Key Highlights:
- Leave Duration: UAE national government employees are entitled to 10 working days of fully paid marriage leave.
- Eligibility Criteria:
- Employee and spouse must both be UAE citizens.
- Marriage contract must be certified and concluded after December 31, 2024.
- Probation period must be completed prior to leave eligibility.
- Salary Entitlement: Employees will receive their full gross salary, including allowances and financial benefits during the leave period.
- Leave Usage:
- Can be taken within 1 year of marriage, either continuously or intermittently.
- Transfer to the next year allowed with valid reason and supervisor approval.
- Call-Up Exception: Employees cannot be called during leave, except for military personnel if work demands it.
- National Service Exception: Leave will be postponed or resumed after national/reserve service completion.
- Transfer Between Entities: Marriage leave rights remain valid if employee is transferred or appointed to another Dubai government entity.
- Applicability:
- Applies to UAE national employees in Dubai government entities, development zones, free zones (e.g., DIFC), and judiciary.
- Includes military personnel, excluding candidates.
- May extend to other categories by Executive Council decision.
- Effective Date: The decree comes into force on January 1, 2025 and is published in the Official Gazette.
From reading to deciding
Turn this into a Dubai investment shortlist
Use real market data, area intelligence, and a guided journey to move from this article to a focused decision.