Can UAE employers legally make employees work during their annual leave?

No, employers in the UAE cannot legally require employees to work during their approved annual leave. Under Article 29(4) of the UAE Employment Law, annual leave must be scheduled by mutual agreement between employer and employee, based on work requirements, and employees must be notified at least one month in advance. Forcing an employee to work while on approved leave violates this provision. Furthermore, Article 47 clarifies that terminating an employee because a project deadline coincides with approved leave may constitute arbitrary or unlawful dismissal, which can be legally challenged. In such cases, employees have the right to file a complaint with the UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation to seek redress.