Leaves Under Jordanian Labor Law: Death, Marriage and Other Types

Workers often need leave when a family member dies or when they are getting married, and some find their request refused or the days deducted from annual leave. So does Jordanian labor law require employers to grant special leave for these occasions?

Jordanian Labor Law No. 8 of 1996 and its amendments regulates annual, sick, maternity, paternity and other leaves, but sets no general fixed-length leave for marriage or death in the private sector. These may still be granted by the employment contract, internal regulations or collective agreements, and public-sector employees follow separate rules.

This guide covers the leaves under Jordanian labor law in 2026, including death and marriage leave, paid and unpaid leave, eligibility conditions, and a worker’s rights when leave is refused or employment ends.

What Leaves Does the Jordanian Labor Law Provide?

Table of Leave Types Under the Jordanian Labor Law and Their Durations

The table below shows the main leaves regulated by the Labor Law for workers covered by it, distinguishing paid from unpaid leave.

Rules differ for employees governed by public-sector regulations, and some employers grant benefits beyond the minimum rights set by law.

Death Leave Under the Jordanian Labor Law

The Jordanian Labor Law does not provide an independent, fixed-length paid death leave for all private-sector workers. Entitlement to leave on the death of a relative therefore depends on the employment contract, the establishment’s internal regulations, a collective agreement or an agreement with the employer.

Some employers grant paid leave on the death of a father, mother, spouse or child, but the duration and the relatives covered are set by the rules applied within the establishment.

How Many Days of Death Leave Are There in the Private Sector in Jordan?

The Jordanian Labor Law sets no general duration for death leave in the private sector, so three days or any other period cannot be treated as a mandatory entitlement for all workers.

The number of days is determined in one of these cases:

• The employment contract contains a provision setting a specific death leave.
• Internal regulations grant the worker leave for this occasion.
• A collective labor agreement regulates death leave.
• The worker and employer agree to take leave from the annual balance or other leave, as the law permits.

An employer may not violate a better right granted to the worker in the contract or in the internal regulations that apply, provided the worker meets the conditions of entitlement.

Death Leave in the Jordanian Public Sector

Death leave for public-sector employees covered by Public Sector Human Resources Management Regulation No. 33 of 2024 and its amendments differs from the rules for private-sector workers.

Article 53 regulates paid casual leave and allows it to be granted according to degree of kinship, as follows:

Casual leave linked to degrees of kinship is subject to the controls of Article 53, including that the decision is issued by the competent authority and that total leave covered by the annual limit does not exceed seven days.

The leave granted to a female employee on the death of her husband is governed by a separate provision in Article 54.

These periods cannot automatically be applied to private-sector workers merely because they appear in the public-sector regulation.

Marriage Leave Under the Jordanian Labor Law

The Jordanian Labor Law does not set an independent marriage leave of two or three paid days for all private-sector workers. A worker’s entitlement to marriage leave depends on the provisions of the contract, the establishment’s regulations or collective agreements.

An employer may grant a worker special leave for marriage, whether paid or on other terms, if this is part of the worker’s contractual rights.

Is Marriage Leave Paid in Jordan?

Marriage leave is paid when the employment contract, internal regulations or a binding agreement provide for it. If no provision grants special marriage leave, the worker and employer can agree to use part of the annual leave balance or arrange other leave.

It is advisable to review the leave clauses in the employment contract under Jordanian law, since some contracts grant additional rights on top of the minimum set by law.

Can an Employer Refuse Marriage Leave?

It depends on the source of the entitlement. If the employment contract or internal regulations set a specific right to marriage leave, its conditions, the request procedure and the employer’s compliance should be examined.

If no special marriage leave exists, the worker may request annual leave or leave by agreement with the employer, taking into account the legal rules on organizing annual leave.

The absence of a mandatory stand-alone marriage leave should not be confused with losing the worker’s right to the annual leave already earned.

Annual Leave Under the Jordanian Labor Law

Article 61 of the Jordanian Labor Law gives the worker the right to annual leave on full pay of 14 days for each year of service, unless an agreement grants a longer period.

Annual leave becomes 21 days once the worker has completed five continuous years with the same employer.

Annual leave is subject to the following rules:

• The worker is entitled to leave in proportion to the period of service if less than a year has been completed.
• Official holidays, religious feasts and weekly rest days are not counted as part of annual leave, unless they fall within it as provided in the wording of Article 61.
• Leave may be postponed to the following year by agreement between the worker and employer within the conditions of the law.
• If annual leave is split, the portion granted at one time may not be less than two days, under Article 62.
• An agreement under which the worker waives annual leave or part of it is not permitted, under Article 64.

Is a Worker Entitled to Annual Leave Before Completing a Year?

Yes. Article 61 entitles the worker to paid annual leave in proportion to the period worked if service has not reached a full year.

For example, if a worker has completed six months with the employer and the annual entitlement is 14 days, the proportional balance for that period is seven days, unless the contract or work regulations provide a better period.

Is a Worker Entitled to Pay in Lieu of Leave When Service Ends?

Yes. Article 63 of the Labor Law gives the worker the right to be paid for unused annual leave days if service ends before they are taken.

The amount due is determined by the worker’s established leave balance and the legally recognized wage, subject to the rules on deferral and entitlement.

Sick Leave Under the Jordanian Labor Law

Article 65 of the Labor Law gives the worker the right to sick leave of 14 days in one year on full pay, based on a report from the physician approved by the establishment.

The leave may be renewed for an additional 14 days on full pay if the worker is an inpatient in a hospital or the extension is based on the report of the approved medical committee, as the law provides.

Completing a year of service is not required for sick leave entitlement, unlike the proportional calculation of annual leave. Sick leave also differs from a work injury, which is governed by social security rules and compensation.

Can a Worker’s Pay Be Deducted During Sick Leave?

Days covered by statutory sick leave may not be treated as unpaid absence if the worker meets the conditions of the leave and provides the medical report.

Cases that exceed the statutory period or lack the required documents need a review of their circumstances and the rules applicable to the worker.

Maternity Leave Under the Jordanian Labor Law

Article 70 of the Labor Law entitles a working woman to maternity leave on full pay totalling ten weeks before and after childbirth, with at least six of those weeks falling after the birth.

Employing a woman worker during the six weeks following childbirth is prohibited.

Article 71 also gives the worker, after maternity leave ends, the right to one or more paid periods to nurse her newborn, totalling no more than one hour a day for a year from the date of birth.

Maternity leave differs from the unpaid leave for full-time childcare, as the law regulates each under separate rules.

Paternity Leave Under the Jordanian Labor Law

Article 66(c) entitles a worker to three days of paid paternity leave on the birth of a child.

Paternity leave is a right independent of annual leave and should not be confused with marriage leave or leave an establishment grants under its internal regulations.

Unpaid Leaves Under the Jordanian Labor Law

The Labor Law regulates specific cases in which a worker may take unpaid leave, and the conditions vary according to its purpose.

Unpaid Study Leave

Article 66 allows a worker to take four months of unpaid leave if enrolled in study at an officially recognized university, institute or college.

Whether the institution meets the description and the conditions for applying this right must be verified.

Childcare Leave

Article 67 entitles a working woman at an establishment employing ten or more workers to unpaid leave of up to one year to devote herself to raising her children.

She may return to work after the leave ends under the legal conditions, taking into account the provision on working for pay for another employer during the leave.

Spouse Accompaniment Leave

Article 68 gives each working spouse the right to one-time unpaid leave of up to two years to accompany the other spouse who moves to work outside the governorate where they work inside the Kingdom, or to work outside the Kingdom.

This differs from personal leave that can be agreed with the employer but is not among the cases set by law.

Hajj Leave and Other Special Leaves

Article 66 gives the worker the right to 14 days of paid leave to perform Hajj, provided the worker has completed at least five continuous years with the same employer and has not previously taken this leave during their service.

The article also provides for paid leave to attend a workers’ education course approved by the competent authority, under the conditions set by law.

These leaves are not a substitute for annual leave, as the law sets separate conditions for each type.

Official and Weekly Holidays Under the Jordanian Labor Law

Official and weekly holidays differ from annual and sick leave and are governed by the Labor Law and the relevant official notices and decisions.

Friday is the usual weekly rest day, unless the nature of the work requires another day under the law.

Official and religious holidays are also set for specific occasions, with their length and scope determined by the approved notices, taking into account the rules on working during them and the pay due for it.

Not every national or social occasion can be treated as a paid holiday for all workers without verifying the holiday decision and whether it applies to the employer.

How Are Leaves Organized Within the Establishment?

Administrative procedures for organizing leave vary from one establishment to another, but they must respect the rights set by the Labor Law, the contract and the internal regulations.

The main practical steps include:

1. Check the type of leave: determine whether it is a legal entitlement or set by the employment contract.
2. Submit the request: notify the employer or responsible body under the approved procedures.
3. Attach documents: provide the medical report or proof of the occasion when needed.
4. Set the duration: state the start and end dates of the leave.
5. Document approval: keep proof that leave was granted, its length and how its pay is calculated.
6. Review the balance: make sure no days are deducted from annual leave that may not be deducted.

These steps matter especially for marriage and death leave, which may depend on internal regulations or special agreements within the establishment.

What Can a Worker Do If the Employer Refuses a Leave They Are Entitled To?

If an employer refuses leave that the law or the contract provides, the basis of the entitlement, the documents and the steps followed by both parties should be reviewed.

The dispute can be handled by:

• Reviewing the employment contract and internal regulations to determine the right to leave.
• Submitting the leave request or objecting to the refusal in writing.
• Keeping correspondence, attendance records and pay records.
• Approaching the competent body within the establishment to try to resolve the dispute.
• Considering a labor complaint or a claim for the entitled rights, depending on the nature of the dispute.

If the dispute continues, the worker may file a complaint with the Ministry of Labour, bearing in mind that an administrative complaint and a court claim are not the same procedure.

Can a Worker Be Dismissed During Leave in Jordan?

Article 27 of the Labor Law restricts terminating a worker’s service or serving notice in specific situations, including while the worker is on annual leave, sick leave, Hajj leave or leave granted for workers’ education.

The article also contains provisions concerning pregnant women during the period set by law and maternity leave, and other cases set out in the law.

These restrictions do not mean that ending the employment relationship is prohibited in all circumstances without exception; the conditions of Article 27, the nature of the employment relationship and the reason for termination must be reviewed.

Distinguishing cases where the law permits termination from those that may amount to unfair dismissal requires a separate review of the facts.

The Role of a Labor-Case Lawyer in Leave Disputes

A dispute may arise between worker and employer over entitlement to leave, its length or the pay due during it, or over the leave balance when the employment contract ends.

A labor-case lawyer in Jordan can help handle these matters by:

• Reviewing the employment contract: identifying the leaves provided and any additional rights granted to the worker.
• Examining the internal regulations: verifying the conditions of marriage, death and special leaves.
• Reviewing the leave balance: identifying the days due and those unused.
• Studying deductions: verifying whether deducting pay for absence or leave is lawful.
• Assessing the employer’s actions: examining decisions refusing leave or ending service in connection with it.
• Following up claims: identifying the appropriate legal step to claim rights where a dispute exists.

The appropriate legal path depends on the type of leave, the documents, the facts and the rights the worker is claiming.

Frequently Asked Questions About Leaves Under the Jordanian Labor Law

Conclusion

The Jordanian Labor Law regulates workers’ rights to annual, sick, maternity, paternity and special leaves, while marriage and death leave vary according to the contractual and regulatory provisions that apply. Determining the length and pay of a leave therefore requires knowing its type, the worker’s status and the employer.

Sources and References

• Jordanian Ministry of Labour: Labor Law No. 8 of 1996 and its amendments and annexes (Arabic), Articles 27 and 61 to 71.
• Jordanian National Commission for Women, in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour and the ILO: Working Women’s Rights under the Jordanian Labor Law (2023) (Arabic), chapter on leaves and holidays.
• Civil Service and Public Administration Commission: Public Sector Human Resources Management Regulation No. 33 of 2024 and its amendments (updated to 13/8/2026) (Arabic), Articles 53 and 54.
• Jordan Chamber of Industry: Frequently Asked Questions on the Labor Law (Arabic).
• Jordanian Ministry of Labour: official website.