The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has released a comprehensive awareness guide outlining the legal framework that governs employment relations in the private sector. The initiative aims to ensure fairness, transparency, and balance between productivity and workers’ rights, according to a report by Al Bayan newspaper.
Clear limits on working hours and overtime
Under the updated framework, the UAE’s standard working hours remain capped at eight hours per day and 48 hours per week. Exceptions apply only to certain industries that require extended shifts, provided they remain within legally defined limits.
Overtime must not exceed two hours per day, and total working hours including overtime may not surpass 144 hours within a three-week period. The ministry stressed that employees are entitled to extra pay for overtime work:
- 25% above the basic hourly wage for daytime overtime
- 50% above for nighttime hours between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m.
Shift-based employees are exempt from the nighttime overtime rule. Workers required to work on their official weekly day off must receive either a substitute rest day or a 50% salary increase for that day.
Wage Protection System compliance
The MoHRE guide also reinforces the mandatory use of the Wage Protection System (WPS) to guarantee timely and transparent salary payments. All wages must be paid within 15 days of their due date, ensuring proper documentation and oversight.
Employers, not workers, are responsible for covering all costs associated with WPS registration and salary transfers. The ministry reminded companies facing financial challenges to proactively seek legal guidance from MoHRE to remain compliant while protecting employee rights.
Comprehensive leave entitlements
The guide further clarifies employees’ entitlements to paid and special leave under federal labour law:
- 30 days of paid annual leave per year of service
- 5 days of bereavement leave following the death of a spouse
- 3 days of bereavement leave following the death of a first-degree relative
- 5 days of paid parental leave for either parent within six months of childbirth
In addition, Emirati employees who have completed two years of service are entitled to study leave to sit for exams. UAE nationals performing mandatory national service are granted leave in accordance with relevant federal laws.
By consolidating these regulations into one guide, MoHRE aims to enhance awareness of both employer obligations and employee rights strengthening the UAE’s position as a fair, competitive, and future-ready labour market.
