Ramadan 2026: UAE private sector to reduces working hours; overtime pay set at 125% to 150%
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Ramadan 2026: UAE private sector to reduces working hours; overtime pay set at 125% to 150%")
Ramadan 2026: UAE private sector hours reduced by 2 hours; overtime pay set at 125% to 150% Photograph: (Credit: AFP)
UAE MoHRE confirms a mandatory 2-hour reduction in private sector working hours for Ramadan 2026. Any work beyond 6 hours attracts 125% to 150% overtime pay.
For the holy month of Ramadan, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has introduced changes to its working hours. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has announced the reduction of daily work hours by two hours; it has been revised to six hours from the regular 8-hour working day for the month.
The private sector companies have been given the leeway to adjust shifts and incorporate work from home, according to the revised norms. After the changes are in place, the employees should be clocking in 36 hours a week, contrary to the usual 48 hours. These new rules have been implemented under Federal Decree‑Law No. 33 of 2021. And are applied to employees irrespective of their religion, both Muslim and non-Muslim employees will be considered alike in this case of work hour reduction.
And if employees work overtime, they will be paid extra in accordance with the UAE labour law. Overtime is capped at two hours per day, and pay is calculated at 125% of the basic wage for daytime. And if an employee is working night shifts, the individual will be paid 150% of the basic wage.
How is the overtime wage calculated?
- Permissible overtime: Capped at 2 hours/per day
- Day shift: Employee will be paid an additional 25% of their wage
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Basic (100%) + day overtime (25%) = 125%
- Night shift: An additional 50% for night shifts
Basic (100%) + night overtime (50%) = 150%
