Dubai Announces a Special Marriage Leave for Government Employees

In a world where deadlines run the professional world, Dubai has decided to flip the script with its recent announcement introducing a new policy that grants ten working days of fully paid marriage leave to Emirati nationals who have been employed across its various entities. 

This policy comes at a time when work-life balance is becoming a major focus area for global labour policies. In a fast-paced environment like Dubai’s, the acknowledgement of such personal milestones like marriage, though formal policies reflect a shift towards a holistic approach to the well-being of the employees.

Why does this policy seem revolutionary?

The new directive issued under Decree number 31 of 2025 by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, attempts to boost employee welfare and family values. According to Khaleej Times, this move that came into effect on January 1, 2025, highlights the nation’s commitment towards fostering a balance between work and life among its citizens and aims to support Emirati nationals and promote happiness at the workplace.

This directive is a clear investment in the country’s people as it allows UAE nationals working across the broad range of government sectors, including departments like judicial authorities, military personnel, not candidates, free zones, special development zones, as well as institutions like Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) to prioritise their personal lives.

Who benefits from this policy?

While this decree is specific to UAE nationals, it allows for future expansion to cover other categories of employees. The Dubai government, however, has put certain conditions for employees in order to be eligible for the marriage leave policy. It highlights that an employee must have completed their probation period at their job and should be marrying another UAE citizen, only to be eligible for the policy.

Further, the government policy stipulates that the marriage must be certified by an authority from the UAE government, and the marriage contract must be dated after December 31, 2024. A certified copy of the marriage certificate must be provided at the time of verification.

Room for Flexibility

What makes this initiative progressive in the most human way is the way it has been structured to foster a supportive and flexible work culture. The Dubai government allows for the policy to offer its employees greater autonomy. 

The government even takes into account unplanned circumstances as it allows for the policy to be flexible to suit the requirements of its employees. An Emirati staff member who cannot take the 10-day leave at once is allowed to split their leave over the course of time as long as it falls within a year from the date of the marriage contract.

The comprehensive coverage of this policy makes it a distinct initiative as it allows employees to get their full gross salary, including allowances and additional benefits. These measures reflect the government’s attempts to prioritise flexibility over the formality of a workplace, making room for employees to manage personal and professional responsibilities on their terms.

Just a policy or a perspective shift?

Additionally, Gulf News states that a government authority can approve the carryover of the marriage leave to the next year given that the employee provides reasons for the same and gets approval from the supervisor.

This is not a blanket benefit but one that is carefully structured to benefit the people. This policy, a reflection of the UAE’s vision for a happier workforce, formally recognises marriage as a life-changing event in the lives of its employees that deserves to be celebrated as the employees' step into the next phase of their personal lives. It recognises that people are not just part of a workforce. They are partners, parents and individuals trying to build a life at both work as well as at home.