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Working Hours in UAE as per UAE Labour Law 2024
Any person who is working in UAE must know their working hours per day in any private company as per the uae labor law. UAE labor law set very clear guidelines for the employers to take the monthly salary base working hours as per employee's designation.
UAE labor law Chapter 4, section 1 and article 65-71 indicates that employees working hours should not exceed eight hours per day or forty eight hours per week over a six day week. Working hours can be nine hours per day for some types of businesses.
Chapter 4, section 1, Article 65:
The maximum number of ordinary working hours for adult workers shall be eight hours per day , or forty eight hours per week . The number of hours may be increased to nine hours per day for people employed in trade , hotels , cafeterias , security and other jobs whose addition may be made by virtue of a decision from the Minister of Labor . Furthermore , the daily number of working hours may be reduced for strenuous or harmful works and such by virtue of a decision from the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs .The ordinary working hours shall be reduced by two hours during Ramadan. The commutation periods spent by the worker from the place of residence to the worksite thereof shall not be calculated within the working hours.
Daily Working hours on worksite
If you are working in a private organization as per the UAE labor Law the employers can take your maximum eight hours per day at work.
Working hours for some businesses like Restaurants, Watchman, Hotel or similar business may be increased to nine hours per day maximum.
Working hours per day for hazardous work may be decreased to fewer hours as per the MoHRE.
In UAE working hours should be less two hours per day in Ramadan period like only six hours per day work for eight hours work basis employee and 7 hours per day for nine hours per day work basis.
Should travel time include in working hours?
Travel time from home to worksite or worksite to Home should not includes in working hours.
As per the Article no 65 of UAE labor Law which says The commutation periods spent by the worker from the
place of residence to the worksite thereof shall not be calculated within the working hours.
Working Hours in Ramadan period
As per the Article no 65 working hours per day should be reduced by two hours per day during Ramadan period.
Chapter 4, section 1, Article 66:
The daily working hours shall be regulated so that the worker does not work more than five consecutive hours without intervals for rest , meals and prayer , whose total period shall not be less than one hour . Such intervals shall not be included in the working hours .As for the factories and workshops where work is carried out in successive shifts around the clock , or for works that require uninterrupted work for technical and economic reasons , the Minister shall regulate the method whereby workers are granted the periods of rest , meals and prayer and such by virtue of a decision issued thereby .
Break during working hours
As per the Article no 66 the employer cannot take more than 5 hours work continuously. After work of 5 hours he must give break of one hour to the employee.
During the break the employees are free to do the lunch, prayer or rest.
Every employee should keep this in mind that the break period will not be included in daily working hours.
It means if you are working on 8 hours daily basis job your break and work time together will be 9 hours per day.
Chapter 4, section 1, Article 67
Should the work circumstances require the carrying out by the worker of a work for more than the ordinary working hours , the additional period shall be deemed an overtime , for which the worker shall be paid a wage equivalent to the ordinary hourly wage with an addition of at least 25 % of the said wage .
Overtime for excess working hours
As per Article no 67 every worker who is working more than eight hours or nine hours (for some businesses) should be paid over time for excess hours. The overtime wages rate will be his/her current salary plus 25% additional of his/her wages.
If the Employer is not paying the overtime to the worker for the excess hours of work it is directly violation of the UAE labor law.
Chapter 4, section 1, Article 68
Should the work circumstances require the carrying out by the worker of an overtime work between 9 pm and 4 am , the worker shall be entitled , in counterpart for the overtime , to a wage equivalent to the ordinary hourly wage with an addition of at least 50 % of the said wage
Overtime during Night shift:
As per the Article no 68 any employee who is working overtime during night shift between 9pm to 4am he must be paid 50% more of his wages.
For example if your wages is AED 12 per hour and you did two hours overtime during 9pm to 4am your employer should pay you AED 18 per hour wages.
Chapter 4, section 1, Article 69
Effective overtime working hours may not exceed two hours per day , unless such work is necessary for the prevention of the occurrence of a colossal loss, a serious accident or the removal or mitigation of the consequences thereof.
Limitation of Overtime
As per the Article no 69 employer should not provide overtime more than maximum two hours per day unless work is necessary for the prevention of colossal loss or serious accident.
Chapter 4, section 1, Article 70
Friday shall be the ordinary weekly rest for all workers with the exception of the daily worker.Should the circumstances require that the worker work on this day, the worker shall be entitled to a substitute rest day , or to the basic wage for the ordinary working hours in addition to 50 % at least of the said wage .
Working on Sundays
Weekly rest from the work is mandatory for all employees. If the employee is required to work on Sunday the employer should allow another one day weekly off or else should pay 50% more wages for working on of day.
Chapter 4, section 1, Article 71
The worker may not be requested to work for more than two consecutive Fridays with the exception of the day workers.
Consecutive working on off days
The employee is not allowed to do work continuously more than two Sundays. If employer is forcing the employee to work more than two Sundays it is directly violation of UAE labor law.
I hope you get some required information about the working hours in UAE and enjoyed the Article.
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