Do You Need a Medical Certificate for Sick Leave in the UAE? Key Rules on Paid Leave, Attestation and Employer Requirements

Understanding sick leave rules in the UAE is important for employees to ensure they receive their legal entitlements and avoid disputes related to salary deductions or absence from work.

In most cases, employees in the UAE’s private sector are required to submit a medical certificate or official sick leave report when taking leave due to illness. Under the UAE Labour Law, employees must inform their employer within three days of falling ill and provide a medical report issued by a recognised health authority or licensed medical provider.

Once an employee completes probation, they become entitled to up to 90 days of sick leave in a year. The law generally provides full pay for the first 15 days, half pay for the following 30 days, and unpaid leave for the remaining 45 days.

During probation, employers are not usually obligated to grant paid sick leave, although some companies may allow unpaid leave if the employee submits a valid medical report.

Whether a sick leave certificate is mandatory for short absences often depends on a company’s internal policy. However, many employers in the UAE require employees to provide a medical certificate even for one- or two-day absences.

Article 31 of the UAE Labour Law requires employees to provide a medical report issued by the competent health authority in the emirate to justify sick leave. Medical certificates are generally accepted only if they are issued by UAE-licensed clinics, hospitals, or approved telehealth providers authorised by bodies such as the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP), or the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DOH).

For extended periods of sick leave, additional attestation of the medical certificate may be required.

Employees seeking a sick leave certificate must first visit a licensed clinic or hospital, whether government-run or private. After examining the patient, the doctor will determine whether the employee is medically unfit to work and specify the required rest period.

If approved, the healthcare provider may issue a medical certificate, sick leave certificate, or medical leave report. In many cases, the document is shared electronically through email, WhatsApp, or the clinic’s app, although printed copies may also be provided.

Most employers require employees to submit the certificate to their Human Resources department or reporting manager as soon as possible.

In Dubai, non-attested sick leave certificates are generally issued free of charge, while attested certificates typically cost Dh70. Attestation is commonly required when sick leave exceeds five days, although employees are advised to confirm their employer’s requirements in advance.

The attestation process varies depending on the emirate in which the certificate was issued. Certificates issued in Sharjah and the Northern Emirates can usually be attested through the MOHAP website. In Dubai and Abu Dhabi, certificates may first require approval from the relevant local health authority before they are submitted electronically through the MOHAP system.

If a certificate has already been attested by authorities such as the DHA, DOH, or Sharjah Health Authority, additional attestation from MOHAP is generally not required.

Employees are advised to notify their employer promptly if illness prevents them from attending work and to follow their company’s internal sick leave procedures carefully. Keeping a valid medical certificate from an approved healthcare provider can help prevent complications involving leave approval, payroll deductions, or attendance records.

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