UAE Eid Al Adha break: Can you take Monday off for a 9-day holiday? Here’s what the law says
Private sector employees can apply for leave on May 25 ahead of the Eid Al Adha holidays — but approval depends on employers
Dubai: Eid Al Adha holidays are right around the corner, and as per the announcement by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) private sector employees will have a paid official holiday from Tuesday, May 26, to Friday, May 29.
But what happens if you apply for an annual leave on Monday, May 25? According to Suneer Kumar, partner at Al Suwaidi and company LLC, while employees have the right to apply for the leave, employers – by law – have the right to approve or reject it.
“They can apply for an annual leave but it is subject to approval from your manager,” he said.
According to Article 29 (4) of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 – or the UAE Labour Law – the employer may specify the dates of a worker’s annual leave “according to work requirements and in agreement with the worker”, in order to ensure work progress.
When do public holidays count as annual leave?
If you do apply for leave on Monday, can your employer consider the rest of the days as part of your annual leave as well? According to Hari Wadhwana, a Dubai-based lawyer, if the employee applies for annual leave only on May 25, 2026, as a single day leave, only one day would be deducted from annual leave calculation.
“It is immaterial that the following days in the week are a public holiday. However, if the employee applies for annual leave for Monday, May 25 and then another one-day leave for Monday, June 1, to return to office on June 2, 2026, i.e. taking two working days off – then the entire duration between May 25, 2026 and June 2, 2026 of eight days will be accounted towards the annual leave,” he said.
This is pursuant to Article 29 (7) of the Labour Law, which states that “the holidays established by law or by agreement shall be included in the annual leave if they fall within the annual leave".