Leave Entitlements Under the Omani Labour Law: Annual, Sick and Special Leave

The Labour Law issued by Royal Decree 53/2023 guarantees every worker in Oman a package of leave entitlements that cannot be reduced by agreement: annual leave of no less than thirty days on gross salary, sick leave of up to one hundred and eighty-two days on a sliding scale, and special leave for marriage, bereavement, Hajj and childbirth. Said Ibrahim Ambusaidi Advocates (SIA), a law firm in Muscat, brings the rules together in one guide.

How much annual leave are you entitled to, and when?

Under Article 78 of the Labour Law, the worker is entitled to annual leave on gross salary of no less than thirty days, granted according to the needs of the business after completing at least six months in the employer’s service. A worker who has not used the leave may carry over a balance of up to thirty days, unless the failure to use it was for the employer’s benefit. The worker cannot waive annual leave: it is a health protection, not merely a financial benefit.

Leave may be split or deferred for business needs, provided the worker actually takes periodic leave, and the worker is entitled to gross salary for any unused annual leave balance when employment ends. The worker is also entitled to gross salary for the official public holidays prescribed by law.

How is sick leave calculated?

A worker who proves illness is entitled to sick leave of up to one hundred and eighty-two days in a single year under Article 82 of the Labour Law, paid on a sliding scale of the gross salary: full pay for the first three weeks, then decreasing percentages (75%, then 50%, then 25%) as the illness extends to the maximum period. The illness must be established by an approved medical certificate, and the worker may not be dismissed because of illness during these periods.

What special paid leave does the law grant?

Article 84 of the Labour Law lists the special leave entitlements on gross salary, most notably:

1. Paternity leave of seven days, provided the child is alive and the leave is taken before the child’s ninety-eighth day.
2. Three days for the worker’s marriage.
3. Three days on the death of a father, mother, grandparent, brother or sister, and two days for the death of an uncle or aunt.
4. Ten days on the death of a spouse or a child.
5. Fifteen days to perform Hajj, once during the entire period of service, after one continuous year with the employer.
6. Iddah leave for a Muslim female worker whose husband dies, and fourteen days for a non-Muslim widow.

A female worker is entitled to paid maternity leave of ninety-eight days covering the period before and after delivery, and a nursing mother to one paid hour a day to care for her child for a year, counted as working time under Article 76. On her request, a female worker may also take unpaid childcare leave of up to one year. Special leave requires supporting proof.

Can a contract provide less than these rights?

No. Article 4 of the Labour Law voids any condition or agreement that conflicts with the Law, even one predating it, unless it is more favourable to the worker, and voids any settlement or waiver of rights arising under the Law where it conflicts with its provisions. The entitlements above are a floor; the contract or company policy may lawfully grant more.

Key facts

• Annual leave in Oman is no less than thirty days on gross salary under Article 78 of Labour Law RD 53/2023, and cannot be waived.
• Sick leave runs up to 182 days per year on a sliding percentage scale of gross salary under Article 82.
• Maternity leave is ninety-eight days on full pay, followed by a daily nursing hour for one year.
• Paternity leave is seven days, marriage leave three days, and Hajj leave fifteen days once per period of service, under Article 84.
• Unused annual leave balance is paid out when employment ends.
• Any agreement reducing these rights is void under Article 4.

When to involve a lawyer

Involve a lawyer if the employer refuses your annual leave or the payout of its balance at the end of service, deducts sick days from your salary contrary to the statutory percentages, terminates you over legitimate maternity or sick leave, or inserts contract terms below the statutory minimum.

At Said Ibrahim Ambusaidi Advocates we review your leave and entitlement calculations, draft the full claim, and represent you before labour dispute settlement bodies and the courts across Oman. The first consultation is free by phone or WhatsApp on +968 9706 3030. We are based in Al Khoudh, Seeb, Muscat, and work Sunday to Thursday, 9:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 17:00, in Arabic and English.

This article is general legal information, not legal advice.