Working overtime in the UAE? Know your rights

Question: I work in a private company. According to the Labour Law, how many times can an employee take a break during the work day and for how many hours? Is the employee obliged to work overtime and how is overtime work calculated?

Answer: According to Article 18 of the Federal Labour Law, the worker may not work for more than five consecutive hours without a rest period or periods amounting in aggregate to not less than one hour.

Working hours and rest periods shall be regulated in the establishment that operates with the shift system, or for some job categories, according to their nature - such as field jobs - and according to the labour classification specified in the Executive Regulation of this decree by law.

Regarding the extra working hours (overtime), and according to Article 19 of the above law, the employer may require the worker to work for additional working hours beyond the normal working hours.

This is provided that they do not exceed two hours per day, and he may not be required to work for more than that except in accordance with the conditions and controls specified in the Executive Regulation of this decree by law. In all cases, the total working hours shall not exceed 144 hours every three weeks.

The worker may not be required to work for more than two consecutive rest days, excluding day labourers.

The worker shall receive a wage equal to that corresponding to his normal working hours - calculated according to the basic wage - plus an increase of at least 25 per cent of such wage.