UAE's Year-Long Sabbatical Leave For Emirati Government Employees Begins From Jan. 2

The United Arab Emirates said it will begin implementing the year-long sabbatical leave for Emirati citizens working in government sectors from Jan. 2 in a bid to help government workers explore entrepreneurial possibilities while still retaining their day jobs.

"The Entrepreneurship Leave for self-employment reflects the pioneering vision of the UAE leadership, which aims to motivate the UAE national cadres to approach the world of entrepreneurship," Laila Obaid Al Suwaidi, Acting Director-General of the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, said Tuesday, Khaleej Times reported.

First announced in July by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashin Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE and Dubai ruler, the sabbatical leave was designed to allow citizens to start their own businesses without the fear of losing their jobs.

Sheikh Mohammed said the goal of the Entrepreneurship Leave initiative was "to encourage the youth to take advantage of the huge commercial opportunities offered by our national economy."

Emiratis working in government sectors will get their leave applications approved by the head of the federal authority where they're employed. Workers under the sabbatical leave initiative will then get half their salaries during the leave period.

Al Suwaidi further revealed the government is looking to establish partnerships with leading companies and startup incubators in the private sector as part of the efforts to support employees under the Entrepreneurship Leave in their business ventures.

This development came just weeks after the government announced that the Unemployment Insurance Scheme for workers in both private and federal government sectors would be "mandatory" starting Jan. 1.

The insurance scheme seeks to provide financial support for workers in private and government sectors if they get terminated. "The financial support will be given in exchange for a monthly insurance premium paid by the worker during his employment," the government said on its website.

Aside from new perks and benefits for government workers in 2023, the Dubai Government Human Resources Department also announced the New Year's Day will be an official holiday for government departments, with the exclusion of departments that have employees working in public service facilities or shifting set-ups.

Workers in non-excluded departments will get paid on the said holiday and they will return to official work on Jan. 2.