UAE: Working during Eid Al Adha public holidays? Here's what you should know

Dubai: Residents across the country are gearing up for a long break in celebration of Eid Al Adha, starting July 19, Monday. For those with a two-day weekend, this means a 6-day break.

The holidays for private-sector employees for Eid Al Adha were announced on July 12 by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. The holidays will be from July 19, Monday to July 22, Thursday - both days included. For those who work on Saturdays, this would mean a 5-day break, including the weekly day off on Friday.

Since these are public holidays announced by the UAE government, these are calculated among paid days off for employees in the public and private sectors. According to the unified public holidays' calendar released by the UAE government in 2019, these approved public holidays include one day for Arafat Day and three days for Eid Al Adha.

However, some employees may be required to work during these holidays due to the nature of their work or because the employers require them to. For such cases, the UAE labour law has laid out certain rights and compensations for employees. 

Leave-in lieu and additional remuneration

Article 81 of the Federal Law Number 8 of 1980 clearly states, "Where the circumstances of the work make it necessary for a worker to work on public holidays or rest day in respect of which he is entitled to full or partial pay, he shall be granted compensatory leave in respect of such days, together with a bonus equal to 50 per cent of his remuneration."

So in addition to a leave-in lieu of the holiday that required the employee to work, he or she is also entitled to an additional 50 per cent bonus remuneration for the day of work.

No leave-in lieu

If there is no compensatory leave granted in lieu of the public holiday that the employee worked on, he or she is entitled to 150 per cent of basic remuneration in addition to the wage for the day.

What about Friday?

Friday is considered the weekly day off for all employees except daily wage workers (Article 70 of above law). Working on a Friday should also be given a compensatory day off or the basic wage for the day with an additional 50 per cent of daily wage.

I am on my annual leave

If you're already on annual leave, public holidays that fall within those days are considered a part of the paid annual leave provision and therefore are not required to be compensated by leaves-in-lieu or additional remuneration, according to Article 77 of the mentioned law.