Can a UAE employer refuse your summer annual leave because of staff shortages?

Yes. Under UAE employment law, employers can determine the timing of an employee’s annual leave based on operational requirements and may rotate leave schedules to ensure business continuity, provided they coordinate with the employee and give at least one month's notice of the approved leave dates. While employees are entitled to annual leave, they cannot insist on taking it whenever they choose if doing so conflicts with workplace needs. However, employers cannot prevent employees from using their accrued annual leave for more than two years, unless the employee agrees to carry it forward or receive payment in lieu of leave in accordance with company policies. Do you think employers should have the final say on annual leave dates, or should employees have greater flexibility to choose when they take their leave?

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