Understanding Compassionate Leave Requests in the UAE

Aug 2, 2026

61 min

Aug 2, 2026 02:31

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## Bereavement Leave Regulations

In the UAE, compassionate leave, also known as bereavement leave, is governed by specific regulations under Article 32 of the UAE Labor Law. This provision allows employees to take time off following the death of certain close family members.

## Eligible Family Members

The law specifies that bereavement leave is applicable only for the death of immediate family members such as a spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandchild, or grandparent. The leave duration is five days for a spouse's death and three days for other eligible relatives.

## Conditions for Leave

For bereavement leave to be granted, it must begin on the date of the family member's death. Employees are also required to provide official documentation of the death to their employer.

## Unpaid Leave Considerations

If an employee takes unpaid leave, it must be approved by the employer. According to Article 33, unpaid leave does not count towards the employee's service term or retirement contributions.

## Case of a Step-Son

In a situation where an employee requests compassionate leave for the death of a step-son, the employer is not legally obligated to approve it, as step-children are not included in the list of eligible relatives under the law.

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