(Credit - Khaleej Times)
Can your UAE employer cancel or interrupt your annual leave?
If you are a private-sector employee, Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 sets how annual leave dates are decided. The key point is that your employer cannot simply override them: leave dates are set in agreement with you, with at least one month’s notice. If leave is cancelled for work reasons, you can ask to carry it forward or be paid for it.
What the law says
| Provision | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Article 29(4) | Your employer may set leave dates based on work needs, but only in agreement with you, and it must tell you the dates at least one month before they start. It cannot unilaterally cancel leave that has been agreed. |
| Article 29(8) | Your employer cannot stop you using leave that has built up for more than two years, unless you choose to carry it forward or take a cash allowance. |
| Article 19(1) of the Executive Regulations | If you do not take leave, you may carry over no more than half of it to the next year, or agree with the employer to be paid for it instead. |
If your leave is cancelled
First ask your employer to revoke the cancellation. If it cannot because of work demands, you can ask to carry the full entitlement into the next year or to be paid for it. Put in writing that the cancellation was your employer’s decision and not a voluntary waiver.
What to do
- Check your contract for any clause on availability or on-call duties.
- If asked to work or cancel leave, ask for the request in writing.
- Keep messages and note dates and times.
- If your employer still breaches your leave rights, report it to MOHRE through its app or a Tasheel centre.
A short written reply you can adapt
Keeping it factual helps if the matter is escalated: “Thank you for your message. My annual leave from [date] to [date] was agreed on [date]. Please confirm in writing if you are asking me to cancel or interrupt it for work reasons. If so, I would like to carry my full entitlement into next year or discuss payment for it.”
Frequently asked questions
Can my employer call me with a quick question during leave?
The law protects agreed leave dates, but check your contract for availability or on-call clauses and keep any requests in writing.
Does this apply to government employees?
This card covers private-sector employees under Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021.
Where to go next
For the leave entitlement itself, see our UAE annual leave rules.
