UAE Unpaid Leave Calculator
See how much salary is deducted for unpaid leave or unpaid absence, and what the days cost in gratuity and annual leave. Decree-Law 33 of 2021, Articles 29, 33, 34 and 51, checked October 2026.
- Daily wage
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- Annual leave not earned
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- Gratuity lost
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- Gratuity after unpaid days
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Estimate only. Not legal advice. Your contract or company policy may set a different method. See the effect on your full payout with the final settlement calculator.
How unpaid leave is calculated in the UAE
- Salary deducted = monthly wage ÷ 30 × unpaid days. The law gives no divisor; ÷ 30 is the usual convention.
- Gratuity: unpaid days are taken out of your service (Articles 33(2) and 51(4)), then gratuity is worked out as usual: 21 days of basic pay a year for the first 5 years, 30 days after.
- Annual leave: 30 days a year of service (Article 29), so each unpaid day costs 30 ÷ 365 of a leave day. This is our reading; the law does not spell it out.
- • 10 unpaid days: 12,000 ÷ 30 × 10 = AED 4,000.00 deducted
- • Gratuity falls from AED 31,500.00 to AED 31,308.22, a loss of AED 191.78
- • Annual leave: 0.82 days not earned
- • 60 unpaid days: AED 24,000.00 deducted and AED 1,150.68 less gratuity
Frequently asked questions
How is unpaid leave deducted from salary in the UAE?expand_more
The usual method is monthly wage ÷ 30 × unpaid days. On a AED 12,000 wage, 10 unpaid days cost AED 4,000.00. The law does not set the divisor, so some employers use × 12 ÷ 365 or the days in that month. Check your contract or company policy.
Is unpaid leave deducted from basic or total salary?expand_more
The law does not say. No pay is due for the days, so the deduction is normally on the total wage (basic plus allowances, Article 1). Some contracts deduct only the basic salary; enter whichever your employer uses.
Does unpaid leave reduce my gratuity?expand_more
Yes. Unpaid leave is not counted in your period of service (Article 33(2)), and days of absence without pay are left out when gratuity is calculated (Article 51(4)). Your service is shorter by those days, so your gratuity is lower.
Does unpaid leave affect annual leave?expand_more
Annual leave is 30 days for each year of service (Article 29), and unpaid leave is not service (Article 33(2)). Our reading is that you earn about 2.5 leave days less for every 30 unpaid days. The law does not spell this out.
Can my employer refuse unpaid leave?expand_more
Yes. The law says a worker may take leave without pay with the employer's approval (Article 33(1)). It does not set a maximum length.
What if I come back late from leave?expand_more
If you do not return to work after your leave ends without a legitimate reason, you are not paid for the days of absence (Article 34). Those days also do not count toward gratuity (Article 51(4)).
Does unpaid leave count for UAE nationals' pension?expand_more
No. Article 33(2) says unpaid leave is not counted in the period of contribution to the retirement system.
Source
UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations: Article 1 (wage), Article 29 (annual leave), Article 33 (leave without pay), Article 34 (absence after leave) and Article 51 (gratuity, clause 4 on days without pay). The daily wage divisor and the annual leave effect are conventions or our reading, not rules in the text. Always confirm with MOHRE or a qualified adviser. Checked against the official text in October 2026.
Read the official text:Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 (UAE Legislation portal)