If you are interested in settling in Qatar, apart from customizing yourself to the culture, you need to know your rights and obligations. Leaves are allowed to interrupt work under some specific exceptions. Let's take a look at the different leaves at Qatari workplaces and their terms and conditions.

Leaves in Qatar:

Employers understand that leaves are part of your minimum rights. But, in a country that offers non-taxed salaries, free collective accommodations, Work visas, and residence permits, some leaves are not intended to be paid entirely.

Despite this sad news, there are still some allowed leaves that will not affect your career journey. If you are interested in them, join Fratres and follow the guidelines related to your work life.

Types of Leaves in Qatar: When Does Your Leave Become Unpaid?

Labor and Social Affairs in Qatar have set the rules for transferring employees' leaves in public and private sectors. The law has specified 16 types of professional leave that the employee is entitled to during his work period. The labor law determines the working hours and weekly activities and the exceptions of work on official holidays, in accordance with the state regulations. Whatever is the sector, employees are entitled to different types of leaves authorized under the employment system. Let's take a look at them and explore the conditions for paid leaves.

List of Average Leaves:

This list involves the possible happenings that interrupt employees from work. Some of them are totally or partially paid.

1.Annual/ Periodic Leave

Every Year, employees in Qatar can request intermittent leave with a whole salary, according to the following:

-45 days If you are operating in the seventh grade or above, or its equivalent salary.

- 40 days periodic leave for those belonging to the grades from eight to ten, or the equivalent in salary.

-30 days for those active in other degrees or the equivalent in salary.

Employees are entitled to this type of leave at any season of the Year. A periodic leave is calculated according to the employees' grades and the period of activity. It is granted after successfully completing the probationary period and the number of average working days from the first day of starting work. If this periodic leave coincides with official holidays or with sick days, the number of days will be considered paid and added to the periodic leave. But, employees can not be entitled to periodic leave, when they are:

• on a probationary period.
• on a termination process

2. Professional Accident Leave:

Injuries and accidents at the workplace are reimbursed. Those who are entitled to this type of leave can stop work for emergency reasons. The professional accident leave is estimated by a competent doctor who can determine the necessary period, which may not exceed two years. Professional accident leave is not counted from periodic or sick leaves. If this period ends without a final recovery, employers can terminate, grant retirement, or expand another sick leave depending on the situation. Whatever is the case, a professional accident leave is paid, bearing the costs of recovery, including reimbursement for the damages.Qatar Labour Law and Workplace Injuries

3. Sick Leaves:

Similar to the annual leave, sick leave requires three months of professional attendance. It is fully paid, when it lasts 2 weeks. The payment decreases to half if it exceeds four weeks. It becomes unpaid for further expansions. For more details, take a look at Understand Sick Leave Pay in Qatar Calculation and Rule

3. Hajj/ Umrah Leave:

This leave is requested for religious purposes. Employees, who are planning to go on pilgrimage, can apply for a Hajj/ Umrah leave. Employers will not oppose this request, especially if the employee hadn't obtained any leave before and didn't consume the paid annual professional leaves. In case of finalizing all the paid leaves, a Muslim employee can obtain for a single time throughout his service leave of twenty-one days with a total salary to perform the Hajj, and this leave is not counted among the employee's periodic leaves.

4.Maternity Leave:

A pregnant employee is granted maternity leave with a total salary of two months. This leave is exclusively guaranteed without taking into account other leaves and holidays. The leave starts with a medical report. It is counted starting from the child's birth date until the baby reaches two months. The working women can extend this leave for one month with half of the salary. But, in the case of giving birth to twins, the maternity period is three months.

5.Childcare Leave:

Female employees are entitled to a childcare leave with a total salary. This leave is granted when the child is a newborn, has been diagnosed with a severe sickness, or has disabilities that require special care. This leave period requires the child's medical reports and may last from one month to a maximum period of five years. Childcare leaves are paid provided that they don't overpass two months. Any expansion is not calculated with salary leave exceptions. Take a look at the  Best Careers for Women in Qatar

List of Exceptional Leaves:

These leaves are under executive regulations and depend on the employee's situation. Here are the different types of these leaves and the terms of obtaining them.

1.Condolence/ Bereavement leave:

This leave depends on the bereaved family degree. If the dead person is a friend, it is a one-day leave. If he is a family member, the condolence leave lasts from 3 days to one week. It is also paid

2. Widowed employee's Leave:

A Muslim female employee whose husband passes away is granted a widowed leave. This leave includes the legal Iddah (waiting) period with a total salary for a period of four months and ten days from the date of the husband's death, or until delivery if she is pregnant. This period is independent of all her other leaves. It includes a notification of the husband's death.

3. Muharram vacation:

This leave depends on the trip plans of the employee. It is not paid

4. Leave to accompany a sick person:

This leave depends on the family degree of the accompanied person. The period varies from one day to five days to be paid and depends on all other leaves. If the employee will accompany a sick person to get treatment abroad and the period will pass one week, the salary will be reduced to half.

5. Sabbatical leave

This leave depends on the period of studies. If this leave is linked to the sector of employment, it will be paid. If it is disconnected from your current job, it will not be paid. Here is Sabbatical leave request letter template (samples)

6. Study leave

Employees who work and study at the same time can claim a study leave. Payment depends on the sector. If this employee belongs to the public sector, the study leave will be paid provided that it doesn't exceed five days. If it is from the private sector, employers may not approve to pay for this leave.

7. Exams Leave :

 If the employee is under examination, he is entitled to an exam leave provided that the exam belongs to the sector of employment. The leave will be granted according to the exam schedule. If the employee is operating in a distinct field, the leave will not be paid.

8. Unpaid Leave:

This leave is granted to employees after consuming all types of paid leaves. Although this leave is not paid, it should not exceed one year, or else the employee will lose the job.

9. Marriage Leave:

Last but not least, a newly wedded employee is granted a fifteen-day marriage leave with a total salary, provided that he submits a copy of the marriage contract.

These were the types of leaves in Qatar with payment details and time limits to keep the payment. If you are planning to submit a leave request, take a look at this article to know which leave is allowed for you.