An employee in Dubai finishes their scheduled shift at 6 pm but regularly stays until 8 pm to complete additional work. Their employment contract specifies eight working hours a day, yet their payslip shows no overtime payment. They begin to question whether those additional hours should be compensated.
Understanding working hours in UAE employment law is essential when reviewing your contract, calculating overtime or questioning an employer’s working arrangements. The rules establish normal working hours, mandatory rest breaks, overtime compensation and reduced hours during Ramadan.
The applicable requirements depend on your employment category and jurisdiction. Employees working under federal UAE labour law may have different entitlements from those employed within DIFC or ADGM.
What Are the Legal Working Hours in UAE?
Under UAE labour law, normal working hours in the private sector are eight hours per day or 48 hours per week. Certain sectors and employee categories may follow different arrangements under the executive regulations. Hours beyond the applicable normal schedule may qualify as overtime, subject to the law’s conditions and exceptions.
Article 17 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 Concerning Regulating Labour Relations establishes the normal working-time limits for employees covered by the federal law.
A company may operate a five-day or six-day working week, depending on its employment arrangements. The law does not require every private-sector employer to follow the same Monday-to-Friday schedule.
Employees should distinguish between scheduled working hours and total time spent at the workplace. A nine-hour attendance period, for example, may include eight hours of work and an unpaid one-hour break.
Ordinary travel between home and work is generally excluded from working hours, subject to exceptions under the executive regulations.
Where an employee regularly works beyond their agreed hours, both the employment contract and the applicable statutory provisions should be reviewed.
UAE Labour Law Break Time: Are Lunch Breaks Paid?
Article 18 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 provides that an employee must not work for more than five consecutive hours without a break or breaks totalling at least one hour. These breaks are not included in statutory working hours. For example, an employee scheduled from 9 am until 6 pm with a one-hour lunch break generally completes eight working hours rather than nine. An employer may provide more favourable break arrangements under the employment contract or workplace policy.
Shift-based operations and certain categories of work may be subject to specific arrangements under Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022 Concerning the Executive Regulations of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021.
Employees should check whether the employer provides genuine opportunities to take their scheduled breaks. A break recorded on a timesheet may require closer examination if the employee was actually required to continue working.
Overtime Calculation in UAE: How Much Should You Be Paid?
Article 19 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 sets out the principal overtime requirements for employees covered by federal labour law. Ordinary overtime generally attracts payment calculated using the employee’s basic wage, plus an additional amount of at least 25% of that wage for the relevant overtime period.
Where overtime takes place between 10 pm and 4 am, the additional amount is at least 50%. The specific night-overtime provision does not apply to employees working on a shift basis.
Employers may generally require no more than two additional working hours per day. Exceptions apply in circumstances specified by the executive regulations, including certain situations involving serious accidents or substantial loss. The total working time must not exceed 144 hours over three weeks.
Example of an Overtime Pay Calculation
Consider an illustrative employee with a monthly basic salary of AED 6,000 who works eight normal hours per day.
Using an assumed 30-day payroll divisor, the calculation is:
Basic hourly wage = AED 6,000 ÷ 30 ÷ 8 = AED 25
Ordinary overtime rate = AED 25 × 1.25 = AED 31.25 per hour
If the employee works two qualifying overtime hours, the illustrative overtime payment is AED 62.50.
For qualifying night overtime, the calculation would be AED 25 × 1.50 = AED 37.50 per hour.
These examples demonstrate the statutory premium, not a universally prescribed payroll divisor. The correct calculation must reflect the applicable employment terms, payroll basis and legal requirements.
Employees should review their basic salary separately from allowances because overtime under these provisions is calculated by reference to basic wage.
Ramadan Working Hours in UAE
During Ramadan, normal working hours in the UAE private sector are reduced by two hours per day. This requirement appears in Article 15 of Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022. For an employee ordinarily working eight hours daily, the normal Ramadan schedule would generally reduce to six hours.
The federal private-sector reduction is not limited to employees who are fasting. It applies to employees covered by the relevant working-hours provisions. An employer may organise shifts differently during Ramadan, particularly where operational requirements involve continuous services. However, work beyond the applicable reduced normal hours must be assessed against the relevant overtime provisions.
Employees should check their Ramadan schedules in advance and seek clarification where their working hours remain unchanged without an explanation. This federal rule should not be assumed to apply identically within DIFC and ADGM, which have separate Ramadan working-time provisions.
Weekly Rest Days and Public Holiday Working Hours
Article 21 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 provides employees with at least one paid rest day each week, as determined by their employment contract or workplace regulations. Employers may provide additional weekly rest days. If an employee is required to work on their designated weekly rest day, Article 19 provides for a substitute rest day or the prescribed compensation, including an additional amount of at least 50% of the basic wage for that day.
The law also restricts requiring employees to work more than two consecutive rest days, subject to the exception for day workers. Public holidays are addressed separately under Article 28. An employee required to work during an official public holiday is entitled to another rest day for each holiday worked, or the normal wage for that day plus an increase of at least 50% of the basic wage.
These entitlements should not be confused with ordinary hourly overtime. Employees should check how their employer records holiday work, substitute leave and the applicable payroll treatment. The UAE Government’s official guidance on public holidays and rest days explains these distinctions.
Do All UAE Employees Follow the Same Working Hours?
Not all employees are subject to identical working-time rules. Under the federal executive regulations, certain categories, including specified supervisory positions exercising employer powers, may be excluded from maximum working-hour provisions.
Some economic sectors, shift-based roles and alternative working arrangements also require consideration of specific regulations. Employees within Dubai International Financial Centre fall under DIFC Law No. 2 of 2019, the Employment Law, as amended.
The DIFC framework generally limits weekly working time to an average of 48 hours unless the employee has consented in writing to additional hours. It also contains separate rest-break and Ramadan provisions.
Abu Dhabi Global Market is governed by the ADGM Employment Regulations 2024, effective from 1 April 2025. ADGM has its own provisions concerning weekly hours, breaks and Ramadan arrangements. Employees should identify which employment regime governs their contract before relying on a particular entitlement or overtime calculation.
What Can You Do If Your Employer Exceeds Legal Working Hours?
An employee who believes their employer has breached UAE working-hours rules should first establish the facts. Begin by reviewing the employment contract, work schedule, payslips and any applicable company policies. Compare the stated hours with the time actually worked. Maintain records of attendance, work instructions, overtime requests and relevant correspondence. Where additional hours were authorised, preserve evidence of that authorisation. If the issue concerns unpaid overtime, ask the employer or HR department for a breakdown of the calculation and explain any discrepancy.
Where the matter remains unresolved, employees covered by MOHRE’s jurisdiction may submit a labour complaint using the ministry’s official channels. The MOHRE labour complaint guidance identifies the MOHRE website, mobile application and Labour Claims and Advisory Call Centre on 80084 as complaint channels.
Employees should seek advice promptly about applicable complaint procedures and limitation periods rather than allowing a disputed entitlement to remain unresolved. Employees working in DIFC or ADGM should use the appropriate processes for their respective jurisdictions.
Understanding Your Working Hours and Employment Rights
If your working hours, overtime payments or rest periods do not match your contract or the applicable law, establish an accurate record and obtain advice before taking action. Davidson & Co.’s employment team can review your contractual position and explain your options. You can contact the firm for guidance.
This article is general information, not legal advice. For advice on your situation, speak to a qualified lawyer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a nine-hour shift legal in the UAE?
A nine-hour attendance period may be lawful where it includes eight working hours and a one-hour break. If an employee performs nine hours of actual work, the additional time may qualify as overtime. The applicable rules depend on the employee’s working arrangement and any statutory exceptions.
Is lunch break included in the eight working hours?
Under Article 18 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, statutory rest breaks are not included in working hours. Employees should generally receive breaks totalling at least one hour after no more than five consecutive working hours. More favourable contractual provisions may apply.
How is overtime calculated under UAE labour law?
Ordinary overtime is generally calculated using the basic hourly wage plus at least 25%. Qualifying overtime between 10 pm and 4 am attracts at least 50% additional payment, subject to the shift-worker exception. The actual amount depends on basic salary, qualifying hours and the applicable payroll calculation.
Can an employer require employees to work during Ramadan?
Employers may organise working schedules during Ramadan, but the normal daily hours of employees covered by federal private-sector rules are reduced by two hours. Additional working time must be assessed under the applicable overtime provisions. DIFC and ADGM apply separate rules, so the relevant jurisdiction matters.
Where can an employee complain about unpaid overtime in the UAE?
Employees covered by MOHRE’s jurisdiction can raise unpaid overtime concerns through the ministry’s labour complaint channels, including its website, mobile application and Labour Claims and Advisory Call Centre on 80084. Employees should retain their contract, payslips, attendance records and relevant correspondence when seeking clarification or filing a complaint.
