Eid Al Fitr 2026: Your legal rights if asked to work during a public holiday
UAE Labour Law: Two ways companies must compensate you for working on a public holidays
Dubai: If your employer has asked you to work during the Eid Al Fitr public holiday, UAE Labour Law guarantees you compensation, either in the form of extra pay or substitute leave. Here's everything you need to know.
When is Eid Al Fitr 2026 in the UAE?
For private sector employees, Eid Al Fitr 2026 is expected to run from Thursday, March 19 to Saturday, March 21.
If Ramadan completes 30 days, subject to official moon sighting, the holiday will extend to Sunday, March 22. In either case, employees are expected to receive a four-day long weekend, depending on the final confirmation.
Public holidays in the UAE are officially declared by Cabinet resolution and apply to both public and private sector workers.
Are you entitled to extra pay if you work during Eid?
UAE workers in the private sector are protected under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, the primary legislation governing employment relationships in the country. Article 28 of this law is specifically dedicated to public holiday entitlements.
Your two compensation options:
Under Article 28, your employer must compensate you through one of the following methods for each public holiday you are required to work:
Compensatory day off - Your employer must grant you a substitute rest day for every public holiday you worked. This is taken in addition to your regular annual leave entitlement.
Enhanced holiday pay - You receive your full normal daily wage for the day worked, plus a premium of at least 50 per cent of your basic salary on top, as a minimum. Your contract may stipulate more.
The choice of which option to apply generally rests with the employer but both options must meet the minimum standard set by the law.
FEDERAL DECREE-LAW NO. 33 OF 2021 - ARTICLE 28
"The worker shall be entitled to official days off with full pay on public holidays, which are defined by a resolution of the Cabinet. If work conditions require that the worker works during any of the public holidays, the employer shall compensate him with another day off for each day, or pay him the wage for that day plus an increase of not less than 50 per cent of the basic wage for that day."
In simple terms - you cannot be asked to work on a public holiday without being properly compensated. The law gives your employer two lawful paths to fulfil this obligation.
What if you are not compensated properly?
If you believe you were required to work during Eid but did not receive a substitute day off or the legally required additional pay, you can raise the issue with your employer first.
If the issue is not resolved, you can file a complaint with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE), which handles private sector labour disputes in the UAE.
MoHRE will review the complaint and attempt mediation between the employee and employer.
