In addition to the common leaves which are available in all the countries i.e. Annual Leave, Sick Leave and Maternity leave, there are certain other leaves which are mentioned in relevant countries’ labour law

1. A Comparison of Special Leaves in
GCC
The Gulf Cooperation’s Council (GCC) is a political and economic union of
Arab states bordering the Arabian gulf. It was established in 1981 and its 6
members are the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait
and Bahrain.
In addition to the common leaves which are available in all the countries i.e.
Annual Leave, Sick Leave and Maternity leave, there are certain other leaves
which are mentioned in relevant countries’ labour law. Here we are comparing
the other leave benefits.
Paternity leave
Paternity leave is a period of absence from work granted to a father after or
shortly before the birth of his child. A male employee in GCC’s Private sector
shall now be granted a paid “Paternity leave” for a period mentioned in the
laws. The following table will brief about the privileges of leaves in different
GCC Countries;

2. Marriage Leave
Marriage leave is the legal right to enjoy leave of absence by an employee
due to him or her getting married without loss of wages. This Article is to
inform both citizens and expatriates of their rights and privileges as
employees in the GCC to ensure that they can maintain a congruous
workplace environment. The following table will provide the comparisons
between GCC countries relating to marriage leave;

3. Hajj Leave
Hajj is a pilgrimage to Mecca, which all Muslims are expected to make at least
once during their lifetime if they can afford to do so. All Muslim employees in
the private sector are entitled to certain no. of days of leave, once during their
period of their service, to perform the Hajj. To understand more in detail, refer
the below table;

4. Compassionate Leave
The Compassionate Leave policy establishes guidelines for providing paid
time off to employees for absences related to the demise of immediate family

5. members and close relatives.
Iddah Leave
In Islamic legal terminology, Iddah is the period a woman must observe after
the demise of her husband. In such instance, she is required to stay at home
in mourning and not leave the house except for necessities. For this purpose,
Iddah leave is granted to female workers serving across the GCC Countries.
The following information will give an understanding of this Law;

6. Initially, companies gave importance to just the basic leave requirements, that
include annual, sick and maternity leave. Now, they have started to give
importance to other prominent instances/ happenings in the lives of
employees. This is indeed an encouraging change.
For a comprehensive understanding of leave policy in GCC countries, please
refer to our article relating to each country.
 UAE Leave policy
 KSA Leave policy
 Oman Leave policy
 Qatar Leave policy
 Bahrain Leave policy
 Kuwait Leave policy

7. Payroll Process
The process of payroll is little complicated and time-consuming; hence it is
always recommended to outsource your company’s payroll function.
Outsourcing payroll will ensure the assistance of a team of trained payroll
professionals and it frees up the time of the organization, helping them focus
on other projects that add value to their business.
One should be extra vigilant while selecting their payroll provider, as payroll
data is highly sensitive, and one should opt for a provider that can ensure high
levels of data security.
As a leading payroll outsourcing company, HLB HAMT can help solve your
payroll complexities through customized strategies. We take care of our
clients’ entire payroll cycle that includes preparation of payroll reports,
processing salary payment with WPS compliance, accrual management
including Gratuity, pension funds, an online portal for accessing payslips, and
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Disclaimer:
Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this information,
HLB HAMT will not accept any liability arising out of errors or omissions.
Please note that this blog is not all-inclusive. Our guidance is designed only to
give general information on the issues/topics covered. It is subjected to
change and not intended to be a comprehensive summary of all laws which
may be applicable to your situation, treat exhaustively the subjects covered,
provide legal advice, or render a legal opinion.

8. Get Free Consultation
A Comparison of Special Leaves in
GCC
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