Working hours are one of the first subjects in any employment contract. In the UAE the law sets a cap on them and also the minimum overtime rate; a contract can be better than the law, but not worse. This article is based on the "Working hours and overtime" page of the official UAE Government portal (`u.ae`) and the English text of "Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 regarding the regulation of employment relationships" published by the same portal; these sources were checked on 25 October 2026.
Normal working hours
| Subject | Official rule |
|---|---|
| Normal cap | 8 hours a day or 48 hours a week (Article 17 of the law) |
| Special sectors and groups | The Cabinet may reduce or increase daily hours for some sectors or groups |
| Ramadan | Daily working hours are reduced by 2 hours |
| Commuting | Travel from home to the workplace is not counted as working time, except for some groups under the Implementing Regulation |
| Work for several employers | No employer may ask for more than the hours in the employment contract, except with the worker's written consent |
| Remote work | If the worker works remotely with the employer's approval, inside or outside the UAE, the employer may set specific hours |
Breaks and continuous work
A worker must not work more than 5 consecutive hours without a break. The break or breaks total at least one hour and do not count as working time. In establishments working in shifts or for some jobs, such as field jobs, working hours and breaks are arranged under the Implementing Regulation.
Summer ban on work under the sun
Under Ministerial Resolution No. 44 of 2022, work directly under the sun in open places is not allowed from 12:30 pm to 3 pm, from 15 June to 15 September each year.
Overtime
| Subject | Official rule |
|---|---|
| Daily cap | At most 2 hours beyond normal hours, except under the conditions of the Implementing Regulation |
| Overall cap | In all cases, total working hours must not exceed 144 hours every 3 weeks (Article 19) |
| Normal overtime rate | Normal hourly pay based on the basic salary, plus at least 25% |
| Overtime between 10 pm and 4 am | Normal hourly pay based on the basic salary, plus at least 50% |
| Shift workers | Excluded from the 50 per cent night rate |
Overtime is calculated on the "basic salary", that is, the salary stated in the contract, which does not include allowances or benefits in kind.
Work on the weekly rest day
| Subject | Official rule |
|---|---|
| Weekly rest day | At least one paid day, under the contract or work regulations; the Cabinet may increase it |
| Work on the rest day | A substitute rest day, or pay for that day plus at least 50% of that day's basic wage |
| Limit on consecutive rest days worked | A worker cannot be made to work more than two consecutive rest days, except day workers |
The law says the Implementing Regulation sets the groups of workers who may be excluded from the working hours rules (Article 20).
Two examples
These examples are hypothetical and only apply the official rules above. For simplicity, the normal hourly pay based on the basic salary is assumed to be AED 50; how it is derived from the monthly salary is set in the Implementing Regulation and the contract.
Example 1: a week with daytime and night overtime. An employee who does not work shifts has 2 hours of evening overtime on each of three days in one week, and 2 hours of overtime between 11 pm and 1 am on one day.
| Part | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 6 hours of normal overtime | 6 × 50 × 1.25 | AED 375 |
| 2 hours of night overtime | 2 × 50 × 1.50 | AED 150 |
| Minimum overtime for the week | 375 + 150 | AED 525 |
No day exceeded 2 hours of overtime. If the employee worked shifts, under the law the 50 per cent night rate would not apply.
Example 2: the 144-hour cap over three weeks. The English text of Article 19 says "total working hours" must not exceed 144 hours every three weeks. If this cap is read as total working time, meaning normal hours plus overtime:
| Work pattern | Normal hours over three weeks | Room left up to 144 hours |
|---|---|---|
| 8 hours, 6 days a week | 8 × 6 × 3 = 144 hours | 0 hours |
| 8 hours, 5 days a week | 8 × 5 × 3 = 120 hours | 24 hours |
The UAE Government portal page gives only the 2-hour daily cap and does not mention the three-week cap; how this cap is counted is set by the Implementing Regulation and the Ministry of Human Resources. If your work pattern is close to this cap, ask the Ministry.
Practical points
- State the working hours, the weekly rest day and whether the work is shift work clearly in the contract.
- Record overtime with dates and times; the night rate applies only to hours between 10 pm and 4 am.
- Overtime is based on the basic salary; check the ratio of basic to total salary in the contract.
- In Ramadan, daily working hours are 2 hours shorter.
- If you work outdoors, keep 12:30 pm to 3 pm free of work under the sun in your summer schedule from 15 June to 15 September.
- See leave and holidays in the article "Leave in the UAE private sector".
Royal Golden does not give legal advice. This article is general information, and the decision on any labour dispute rests with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation and the competent UAE courts.
Sources
- UAE Government portal, Working hours and overtime — https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/jobs/Sector-of-employment/employment-in-the-private-sector/working-hours (checked on 25 October 2026)
- UAE Government portal, unofficial English text of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 regarding the regulation of employment relationships — https://assets.u.ae/api/public/content/eb65a60bbff949fa912eddd566613014?v=7174ed78 (checked on 25 October 2026)