Sick Leave in Kuwait: The 75-Day Pay Structure Explained

One table answers most of the question

For private-sector workers covered by Kuwait Labour Law No. 6 of 2010, Article 69 sets out a tiered sick-leave structure during the year:

The employee must support the illness with a medical report from a doctor appointed by the employer or a doctor at a government medical centre. Where the law's conditions create a dispute about the necessity or duration of the leave, the government doctor's report is given weight under the provision.

The part people often miss: the entitlement is cumulative within the year

The table is not a fresh entitlement for every new illness. The stages work as a yearly entitlement, so an employee who has already used sick leave may enter the next pay band during a later absence.

That is why a good leave record matters. Simply stating “Kuwait gives 75 sick days” does not answer the practical question: how much of the current band is left?

Example without a calculator

Suppose an employee has already used 15 sick days during the relevant year. A later qualifying absence does not restart at full pay. The next ten days fall into the 75% band, subject to the applicable rules and available balance.

Medical certificate: what should you send?

The statutory rule refers to a medical report from an employer-appointed doctor or a doctor of a government medical centre. Employers may also have their own internal notification process, so an employee should tell the supervisor or HR as soon as possible and follow the workplace procedure.

Do not copy a random “medical leave certificate” from the internet and assume it meets the employer's requirements. The important issue is the issuing medical professional and the documentation accepted under the applicable rule.

A short illness notification that avoids overclaiming

Subject: Sick Leave Notification

Dear [Manager/HR],

I am unable to attend work today due to illness. I am following the required medical process and will provide the medical document required for my sick leave record. Please let me know if any additional internal form is needed.

Regards,

[Name]

For longer absences, add the expected duration only when it is supported by the medical report.

What about annual leave?

Kuwait's Labour Law also states that weekly rest days, official holidays and sick-leave days falling within annual leave are not counted as annual leave. This is one reason employees should keep the dates of the medical absence clearly documented.

Who should not automatically use this guide?

This article is specifically framed around the private-sector Labour Law. Government employees, domestic workers and some special categories may be governed by different legislation or procedures.

Common questions

How many sick-leave days are provided in Kuwait private sector? The statutory structure totals 75 days in the year: 15 fully paid, 10 at 75%, 10 at 50%, 10 at 25%, and 30 unpaid.

Is a medical certificate required? The law requires a medical report from the employer-appointed doctor or a government medical centre doctor for the statutory sick-leave entitlement.

Does sick leave restart after every illness? No. The pay bands operate as a yearly entitlement rather than resetting for each separate sickness.

Can the 75-day rule be applied to government employees? Not automatically. Check the law governing the employee's sector.

Sources and review note

Primary legal source: Kuwait Labour Law No. 6 of 2010, Article 69, as published by the Public Authority for Manpower. Kuwait Government Online maintains the current government labour-law reference page.

Disclaimer: Employment rules can depend on sector, worker category, later amendments and employer procedure. This page provides general information and is not a substitute for legal advice.