Sick leave is one of the most-used benefits in any UAE workplace, yet many employees never look at their own records until something goes wrong — a short salary payment, a disputed leave balance, or a question from HR about an old absence. How to Check Sick Leave Records is a straightforward question with a few practical answers, and knowing the process protects both your pay and your job security.
In the UAE private sector, sick leave entitlements are set out in Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 (the UAE Labour Law): up to 90 days per year after probation, split into full pay, half pay, and unpaid tiers. Your employer is responsible for maintaining accurate records of every sick day you take, and you have every right to review them. This guide walks you through the exact steps to check your sick leave records, what those records should contain, and what to do if something looks wrong.
Quick Answer
To check your sick leave records in the UAE, start with your company’s HR portal or self-service system, review your pay slips for leave deductions, and request a formal leave statement from your HR department in writing. Keep your own copies of every medical certificate, and compare your employer’s numbers against them. If a record is missing or incorrect, follow our guide on how to correct an incorrect leave record.
How to Check Sick Leave Records Step by Step
There is no single national database where employees can look up their own sick leave history the way they might check a traffic fine. Sick leave records are kept by your employer, so the checking process runs through your company’s systems. Here are the main ways to get your records, in order of convenience.
1. Use Your Company’s HR Portal or Self-Service System
Most medium and large companies in the UAE run a human resources management system (HRMS) — software such as SAP SuccessFactors, Oracle HCM, Bayzat, or similar platforms — with an employee self-service portal. After logging in, you can usually:
- View your remaining and used sick leave balance for the current leave year
- See a dated log of each sick leave entry, including approval status
- Download or print a leave history statement for your own files
If you are not sure whether your company has such a portal, check your employment contract or employee handbook, or ask HR directly. Many companies also use mobile apps where your leave balance is one tap away. Review your UAE employment contract type to understand which rules and HR systems apply to your role.
2. Request a Written Leave Statement From HR
If your company has no self-service portal — common in smaller firms — email your HR department and request a written statement of your sick leave taken for the current year (or a specific period). A written request creates a paper trail, which matters if there is ever a dispute. A reasonable statement should include:
- The date of each sick leave day or period taken
- Whether each period was paid at full pay, half pay, or unpaid
- Your remaining sick leave balance across the 90-day annual entitlement
- Reference to the medical certificates you submitted
3. Check Your Pay Slips
Your monthly pay slip is a second, independent source of truth. Because the UAE’s sick leave tiers change your pay (full pay for the first 15 days, half pay for the next 30, unpaid for the remaining 45), any month in which you took extended sick leave should show the corresponding deduction. Compare the deduction against your own records of absence:
- Days 1–15 of the year’s sick leave: no deduction (full pay)
- Days 16–45: half-pay deduction
- Days 46–90: no pay for those days
If a deduction appears in a month when you were not sick, or no deduction appears when one should, that is a red flag worth raising with HR. Knowing how annual leave and sick leave differ also helps, since the two should never be mixed on the same record.
4. Ask MOHRE If the Employer Route Fails
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) is the regulator for private-sector employment. It does not keep individual sick leave balances for every employee, but if your employer refuses to share your records or you suspect a serious violation, you can contact MOHRE’s customer service or visit a service centre to file a complaint. Keep any written evidence — your medical certificates, HR emails, and pay slips — ready for this step.
What Your Sick Leave Record Should Contain
A complete sick leave record typically includes the following for each absence:
- Date(s) of absence: the exact day or range of days
- Reason category: sick leave (as opposed to annual or emergency leave)
- Medical certificate reference: the certificate number or attachment from the licensed medical facility
- Pay tier applied: full, half, or unpaid
- Approval status: approved, pending, or rejected — with a reason if rejected
- Running balance: how many of the 90 annual days you have used and have left
If your employer’s record is missing the medical certificate references, that is a gap on their side, not yours — keep your own copies of every medical certificate, pay slip, and HR email related to the leave.
Understand the Entitlement Behind the Numbers
You can only judge a record if you know the rules it should follow. Under the UAE Labour Law (Article 31):
| Leave days in the year | Pay |
|---|---|
| Days 1–15 | Full pay |
| Days 16–45 | Half pay |
| Days 46–90 | Unpaid |
Key points the official UAE government portal (u.ae) lists for sick leave:
- Sick leave applies only after completing the probation period; during probation, leave is unpaid and at the employer’s discretion
- You must notify your employer of illness within three days and submit a medical report from a recognised medical authority
- No paid sick leave if the illness resulted from your own misconduct, such as alcohol or drug use
- The 90 days can be taken continuously or in separate periods during the year
- If you fall ill while on annual leave, the days may be counted as sick leave instead, provided you report it and supply a medical certificate
Knowing the broader range of employee leave types in the UAE helps you spot when an employer wrongly books sick days against your annual leave balance — a surprisingly common record-keeping mistake.
Why Checking Your Records Matters
A few minutes of checking can save you real money and trouble:
- Salary accuracy: half-pay and unpaid tiers are easy to miscalculate; an error could cost you hundreds of dirhams per month
- Termination protection: the law allows an employer to terminate a contract only after the full 90-day sick leave entitlement is exhausted — accurate records prove whether that threshold was reached
- End-of-service settlement: leave records feed into your final settlement, and clean records make end-of-service gratuity calculations smoother
- Proof for new employers: some employers ask for past attendance evidence; a clean record helps
What to Do If a Record Looks Wrong
If your employer’s figures do not match your own log:
- Collect your evidence first — medical certificates, doctor’s notes, HR emails, pay slips
- Raise it with HR in writing, listing the specific dates in dispute
- If a recorded day is missing entirely, see what to do if leave is not recorded
- If HR corrects the record, ask for a revised written statement and keep it
- If the employer refuses or the error affects your pay, escalate to MOHRE
Also make sure your health insurance coverage was active during the sick period — insurers and employers sometimes share documentation, and gaps can complicate claims.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How often should I check my sick leave records?
At least twice a year, plus once after any sick leave period longer than a few days. A quick check of the HR portal takes minutes and catches errors while memories and documents are fresh.
Can my employer refuse to show me my sick leave records?
Not reasonably. The employer is required to maintain accurate employment records, and employees have a legitimate interest in their own leave balances. If HR stonewalls, escalate in writing, then to MOHRE.
Do sick leave days expire at the end of the year?
The 90-day entitlement is per year of service — unused sick leave does not carry over and is not paid out like unused annual leave. It simply resets when a new service year begins.
What counts as a medical certificate for sick leave?
A report from a licensed medical facility in the UAE confirming your condition and the period you were unfit for work. Submit it promptly — delays can give the employer grounds to treat the absence as unexcused.
Can I check my sick leave records after leaving the company?
Yes, request them before your last working day if possible. After exit, companies typically retain records, but access becomes harder. Keep copies of your pay slips and leave statements from the start of employment.
Is sick leave during probation paid?
No. Paid sick leave entitlement begins only after the probation period is completed. During probation, an employer may grant unpaid sick leave at its discretion, based on a medical report.
The Bottom Line
Checking your sick leave records is simple: use your company’s HR portal, review your pay slips, and request a written statement from HR whenever you are unsure. Know the 90-day structure — 15 days full pay, 30 days half pay, 45 days unpaid — and keep your own copies of every medical certificate. If the numbers do not add up, raise it with HR in writing promptly, and escalate to MOHRE only if the employer will not correct a clear error. A few minutes of checking protects your pay and your rights.
Last Updated: 8 October 2026
About the author: Zaviyar Sultan is a UAE-focused writer at Paxi, covering driving, visas, banking, insurance and everyday UAE life. His guides are researched from official UAE government and regulator sources and updated regularly.
Paxi is an independent informational website, not affiliated with the UAE government or any agency mentioned; content is general information only, not legal, immigration or financial advice; verify critical details with official sources before acting.