- City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
- Dubai 05:10 06:25 12:05 15:14 17:39 18:55
Private sector employees in some companies in the UAE have been told not to take sick leave on Thursdays or Sundays and those doing so must produce a medical certificate or have a day deducted from their annual leave.
VB, working in a multinational company in Abu Dhabi, told Emirates24|7 employees in his company were recently informed by their HR department not to take sick leave on Thursdays or Sundays and those not producing a medical certificate will have a day deducted from their annual leave.
“It seems HR saw too many people taking a day off on Thursdays or Sundays to get an extended weekend. Recently we were informed that a new policy had been introduced and that we could no longer call in the morning to avail sick leave on the same day. We now have to submit a medical certificate the next day or lose a day from our annual leave,” VB said, requesting use of his initials only.
S D’Souza, who works in the publishing industry, said employees in his company have to submit a medical certificate even if they take sick leave for just one day.
“Our HR policy clearly states that we have to give a medical certificate to claim sick leave, even for one day,” he said.
Some companies are more lenient and do not impose such tough conditions. The staff is allowed to take a one-day sick leave without having to bring the doctor’s certificate the next day. But if the sick leave is extended to two days or more, it is mandatory to furnish a medical certificate to be entitled for the full wage.
As per Article 83(2) of the UAE Labour Law, if an employee, who has stayed for more than three months after the end of probation in the continuous service of the employer, falls ill, he can take sick leave not exceeding 90 continuous or interrupted days for every year of service and shall be treated as follows: Full wage for the first 15 days, half wage for the next 30 days, and without wage for the following period. The days mentioned in the above article are calendar days.
As per Article 75 of the UAE Labour Law, for every year of service, an employee is entitled annual leave of two days every month if his service is more than six months but less than a year and 30 days annually if his service exceeds one year.
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