Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Makhtoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has issued a decree regarding marriage leave for government employees. The decree stated that as of Decree No. (31) of 2025, an employee is entitled to a fully paid marriage leave of 10 working days. It also states that the employee can combine marriage leave with any other leave they are entitled to under the legislation regulating HR affairs in force at their employer.
The decree also specifies the conditions for granting marriage leave, which are that the employee’s husband or wife must be a citizen of the UAE, and that the employee has successfully completed the prescribed probationary period in accordance with the legislation regulating HR affairs applicable to their employer, or as determined by the employer in this regard. In addition to these conditions, the marriage contract must be certified by the competent authority in the country and concluded after December 31, 2024. A copy of the marriage contract must be submitted only once when applying for marriage leave.
During the marriage leave, the employee is entitled to their full salary as stipulated by the HR and the employer, including the benefits and incentives. In addition to this, the employer is to not contact the employee during the duration of the leave, with exceptions for military personnel. They can also use the marriage leave any time within one year of the marriage.The government entity may approve the transfer of marriage leave to the following year based on serious reasons provided by the employee and with the approval of their direct supervisor. And if the employee is transferred or appointed to another government entity, they retain the right to their marriage leave, or any unused portion of it, if they did not take it during their time with the previous government entity.
This decree applies to UAE national employees working in government entities and within the authorities supervising special development zones and free zones, including the Dubai International Financial Centre. It also applies to UAE national members of the judiciary and UAE military personnel in the emirate, with the exception of candidates. The scope of the decree also extends to any other category determined by a decision issued by the Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Makhtoum in this regard and shall issue the necessary decisions to implement the provisions of this Decree. This Decree has been effective since January 1, 2025, and was published in the Official Gazette.
