H. H. Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah has issued law regulating maternity leave and issuing fatherhood leave for three days.
According to law number 1 of year 2011, amending law number 5 of year 2001, on civil service in the emirate of Sharjah, the female employee will be given maternity pay leave for 60 days. She could be given the leave even before two weeks from expected delivery date upon a medical report from a specialist doctor. After the maternity leave, she would be given breastfeeding period for a year at the beginning or just before the end of the working hours.
The law stated that the annual maternity leave can be added to pay without leave for maximum 100 days from the beginning of maternity leave. Meanwhile, the male employee whose wife delivers a baby in the UAE, will also be given a fatherhood pay leave for three days during the first month of child delivery.
This law is effective from the date of issuance and will be published in the official gazette.
