04/07/2026
59,290 dirham.
That's the money he got.
Your company has the burden of proof.
If they cannot show that you took the leave, then you didn't use it.
Habibi, unsed leave is one of the most misunderstood parts of quitting a job here.
People assume unused leave just disappears the moment they resign.
It does not.
The law is clear on this, so let's break down the possible scenarios.
Scenario 1:
You have unused leave days and you resign after completing one year.
You get paid for every single unused day.
No exceptions, no "we'll think about it." Under Article 29 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, this is a legal entitlement, not a favor from your employer.
Scenario 2:
You resign before completing one year, but after 6 months.
You still get paid, habibi.
You accrue 2 days of leave for every month you've worked past the 6-month mark, and that gets encashed in your final settlement.
Less than one year of service does not mean zero rights.
Scenario 3:
You resign before completing 6 months.
Here's the only scenario where you genuinely have no leave to encash, because the law doesn't grant leave accrual before 6 months.
Those months still count toward your overall service record, but there's no leave balance sitting there to be paid out.
Scenario 4:
Your employer says "leave doesn't carry over" or "you lost it."
That's not how it works.
Article 29(8) says your employer cannot block you from using your accrued leave for more than 2 years.
If they never let you take it, and never paid you for it, they owe you every single day, going back as far as it wasn't settled.
There was even a Court of Cassation ruling in Abu Dhabi where an employee was compensated for 13 years of unused leave, because the employer couldn't prove it was ever taken or paid.
Thirteen years, habibi.
The law does not forget just because your employer hopes you will.
Scenario 5:
You're wondering how much you'll actually get.
The formula is simple: basic salary ÷ 30 × number of unused days.
Note, it's calculated on your basic salary only, not your full package with allowances.
So if your basic is AED 9,000 and you have 15 unused days, that's 9,000 ÷ 30 × 15 = AED 4,500.
Know this number before you sign anything on your way out.
Scenario 6:
Your employer delays payment after you resign.
They have 14 days from your last working day to settle everything, leave encashment included, under Article 53.
If they go quiet past that, that's not "processing," that's a violation.
Dear friend, here's what to do if any of this is being denied:
Put your request in writing, referencing Article 29 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021.
If HR stalls, file a complaint with MOHRE, through the app, website or call.
This costs nothing.
Keep proof of everything, your contract, your payslips, any leave requests you made and were denied.
Know that you have up to 2 years from when the payment was due to file a claim.
Don't sit on it too long, but don't panic either, you have time.
If MOHRE mediation doesn't resolve it, the matter moves to Labour Court, and a UAE employment lawyer becomes worth the money at that stage.
Habibi, your unused leave is not a gift they choose to give you.
It is money you already earned by showing up and doing the work.
Don't let anyone talk you out of what's already yours.
If you have any doubts, always reach out to MOHRE for advice.
They will guide you properly.
It's important to have all proof.
Good luck.
