UAE Labour Law: Things to know about shifts, leaves and wages

If you are working in the UAE, to know the labour laws of the country is crucial. It helps one clarify doubts regarding working hours, annual leave and several other job-related matters. The laws also spell out details about maternity leave, sick leave, employee records, safety standards, termination of employment and end of service gratuity payments.

Let's take a look at some of the important features of the UAE Labour Law that cover these.
 

Working in the private sector

Federal Law No. 8 of 1980 also known as the Labour Law governs the labour rights of employees in the private sector.  The labour law handles a wide range of job-related matters. Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, known before as Ministry of Labour, is responsible for overseeing the employer-employee relations and maintaining labour rights for the private sector.

Here are some of the key provisions of the labour law:

Working hours

Article 65 of the UAE Labour Law identifies the normal working hours for the private sector as 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week.

The working hours may be increased to 9 hours a day for businesses, hotels and cafes after approval from MoHRE.

Government entities are not governed by the labour law and they operate for 7 hours daily.

Working for more than 7 hours a day is prohibited in arduous or unhealthy works and industries.

Normal working hours are reduced by two hours daily during the holy month of Ramadan.

Overtime

An overtime is considered if the nature of job demands working beyond normal working hours and it will entitle the employee for a pay equal to normal working hours' remuneration plus 25 per cent of that pay. It could increase to 50 per cent if overtime is done between 9 pm and 4 am.

Official leaves and vacations

Friday is the official weekend for all workers, except for daily wage workers. If circumstances require an employee to work overtime on that day, he/she will be entitled for regular working hours' pay, plus an increase of not less than 50 per cent of that amount.

Public holidays

Employees are entitled for paid leave on the following public holidays:

    .    Hijri New Year - 1 day
    .    Gregorian New Year - 1 day
    .    Eid Al Fitr - 2 days
    .    Waqfa day and Eid Al Adha - 3 days
    .    Prophet Mohammed's birthday - 1 day
    .    Isra and Miraj or the Ascension Day - 1 day
    .    Martyr's Day - 1 day
    .    National Day - 1 day
 
Annual leave

Employees are entitled to an annual leave of:

    .    2 days per month, if they have completed six months of service but not one year

    .    30 days, if they have completed one year of service.

Sick leave

Employees are entitled to a sick leave of not more than 90 days per year subject to conditions stipulated in the law. They will receive full pay for the first 15 days, half pay for the next 30 days and no pay for the rest 45 days.

Special leave

Employees may be granted a special leave without pay, which may not exceed 30 days for the performance of Haj once throughout his service. This is granted only once during his years of employment.

Employees are not entitled to any paid sick leave during the probation period.

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