UAE Labour Law 2026: Maximum Working Hours, Overtime and Break Rules

UAE Labour Law 2026 continues to establish eight hours per day or 48 hours per week as the normal maximum working time for employees covered by the federal private-sector labour law.

The main framework is Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021, which regulates employment relationships in the UAE private sector. The provisions apply to employers and workers covered by the federal Labour Law, subject to specific exclusions and special rules.

While the standard limit is eight hours per day, Cabinet authorities may adjust daily working hours for certain economic sectors or categories of workers.

For employees working under alternative arrangements, employment contracts remain important because they can establish the applicable working schedule within the requirements of UAE labour legislation.

Remote workers can also have defined working hours. Where an employee works remotely inside or outside the UAE with the employer’s approval, the employer may specify the applicable working hours.

Is the UAE working week limited to 48 hours?

Yes. Under the federal private-sector labour framework, normal working hours generally cannot exceed 48 hours in a week.

This means that an employee’s regular schedule is generally limited to:

• Eight hours per day
• 48 hours per week

The 48-hour weekly limit applies to normal working time. Overtime is regulated separately and may allow employees to work beyond their ordinary schedule, subject to the conditions and limits established by law.

The rules are designed to provide a standard framework for working time while allowing certain sectors and categories of workers to operate under different arrangements.

UAE Labour Law 2026 overtime rules

Employees may be required to work overtime when business requirements justify additional working hours.

As a general rule, routine overtime is limited to two additional hours per day. Therefore, an employee who normally works eight hours may generally be required to work up to two additional hours of overtime in a day.

Article 19 also establishes an aggregate limit of 144 hours of work over every three-week period for the relevant overtime calculation.

However, the regulations provide exceptions for certain exceptional circumstances. Work beyond the ordinary overtime threshold may be permitted when it is necessary to prevent substantial losses, serious accidents or serious consequences, or to mitigate their effects.

These exceptions are intended for specific circumstances rather than ordinary day-to-day scheduling.

How much overtime pay do employees receive?

Eligible overtime must generally be compensated through additional pay calculated using the employee’s basic wage.

For qualifying overtime, the employee receives the normal hourly amount plus an additional payment of at least 25 per cent.

For example, where the law’s overtime provisions apply, the employee’s basic hourly wage forms the basis for calculating the additional overtime payment.

Night work can attract a higher premium. Work performed between 10pm and 4am generally attracts an increase of at least 50 per cent above the normal basic hourly rate.

However, the specific night overtime provision does not apply in the same way to employees working in shifts, subject to the applicable legal provisions.

Employers therefore need to consider the employee’s working arrangement before calculating overtime compensation.

What happens when employees work on a rest day?

UAE Labour Law 2026 also contains provisions concerning employees who are required to work on their contractual weekly rest day.

Where an employee works on a designated rest day, the applicable provisions require compensatory arrangements. Depending on the circumstances, the employer may be required to provide another rest day or make the applicable wage payment together with the required premium.

The exact treatment depends on the circumstances and the applicable provisions governing the employee’s employment relationship.

Mandatory breaks during the working day

Employees cannot normally work for more than five consecutive hours without receiving a break or combined breaks totalling at least one hour.

These breaks generally do not form part of the employee’s working hours.

For example, an employee may have a work schedule that includes a break after several consecutive hours of work. The break allows employees to rest or eat before returning to their duties.

However, certain industries, shift arrangements and field-based jobs may be subject to different break arrangements under the Executive Regulations.

Employers should therefore consider whether a particular category of work is covered by special provisions before applying the general break rule.

Ramadan working hours in the UAE

One of the important features of UAE Labour Law 2026 is the reduction in private-sector working hours during Ramadan.

During the holy month of Ramadan, normal working hours for private-sector employees are reduced by two hours per day.

The reduction applies to the normal working schedule rather than simply providing an additional two-hour break.

This means that employers must adjust applicable working schedules during Ramadan in accordance with the relevant UAE labour regulations and guidance.

The Ramadan reduction is separate from the general rules governing overtime and rest periods.

Does commuting time count as working time?

Ordinary commuting between an employee’s home and workplace generally does not count as working hours.

However, UAE regulations identify certain situations in which time spent travelling may be treated differently.

For example, transport time during qualifying bad-weather conditions may count toward working hours. Similarly, delays involving employer-provided transportation caused by accidents or sudden breakdowns may qualify under the applicable provisions.

There can also be situations where the employment contract expressly provides for certain commuting time to be included within working hours.

Therefore, employees should not automatically assume that every period spent travelling to or from work is excluded from working time. The circumstances and contractual arrangements matter.

Which employees are outside the federal Labour Law?

Although UAE Labour Law 2026 covers a large part of the private sector, the federal Labour Law does not apply universally to every category of worker.

Article 3 excludes certain categories from its scope.

These include government employees, members of the armed forces, police and security personnel, and domestic workers, who are subject to separate legal frameworks.

Employees should therefore first determine whether their employment falls within the scope of Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 before applying its working-hour provisions.

Employees who may have different working-hour rules

Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022 also provides for exemptions from certain maximum working-hour provisions.

Specified categories can include chairmen and members of boards of directors, as well as certain employees who hold supervisory powers equivalent to those of an employer.

Maritime crews and workers employed at sea under special service conditions can also be subject to separate working-hour arrangements.

These exemptions mean that the eight-hour daily and 48-hour weekly limits should not automatically be applied to every employee in every occupation.

Weekly rest day under UAE Labour Law 2026

Covered employees are entitled to at least one paid weekly rest day.

Article 21 establishes the basic entitlement to a paid weekly rest day, while the employment contract, internal work regulations or applicable workplace arrangements can determine which day is designated as the employee’s regular rest day.

The weekly rest requirement is separate from annual leave and other statutory leave entitlements.

Where an employee is required to work on a contractual rest day, the relevant compensatory and payment provisions may apply.

Multiple employers and contracted working hours

UAE labour regulations also address situations in which an employee works for more than one employer.

An employer cannot simply require a worker to exceed the contracted working hours applicable to the employment arrangement when the employee is working for multiple employers without the required written consent.

This is particularly relevant in employment arrangements where workers have more than one approved employment relationship.

The terms of the employment contract and applicable work permits or approvals therefore remain important when determining the employee’s working schedule.

What employees should know about UAE Labour Law 2026

For most private-sector employees covered by the federal Labour Law, the key working-hour rules can be summarised as follows:

• Normal working hours: up to eight hours per day.
• Normal weekly working hours: up to 48 hours per week.
• Routine overtime: generally up to two additional hours per day.
• Overtime aggregate limit: Article 19 provides a 144-hour limit over every three-week period.
• Breaks: employees generally cannot work more than five consecutive hours without a break or combined breaks totalling at least one hour.
• Ramadan: normal private-sector working hours are reduced by two hours per day.
• Weekly rest: covered employees are entitled to at least one paid weekly rest day.
• Overtime compensation: qualifying overtime generally attracts at least a 25 per cent increase over the normal basic hourly rate.
• Night overtime: qualifying work between 10pm and 4am generally attracts at least a 50 per cent increase, subject to the rules for shift workers.
• Special categories: certain workers and occupations are subject to different provisions or exemptions.

How employees can raise labour-related concerns

Employees who believe their employer is not complying with applicable working-hour, overtime, rest-day or other employment obligations can seek assistance through the UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE).

The Labour Claims and Advisory Centre can be contacted on 80084, while employees can also use the ministry’s available service channels for labour-related advice and complaints.

Employees should retain relevant employment documents, contracts, working schedules, salary records and other evidence where a dispute concerns working hours or overtime.

UAE Labour Law 2026: Key takeaway

For most employees covered by the UAE’s federal private-sector Labour Law, the central rule in 2026 remains eight hours of normal work per day and 48 hours per week.

The law also establishes safeguards covering overtime, additional pay, mandatory breaks and weekly rest. During Ramadan, normal private-sector working hours are reduced by two hours each day.

At the same time, the rules are not identical for every worker. Government employees, police, armed forces personnel, domestic workers and certain other categories fall under separate frameworks or exemptions.

Employers and employees should therefore consider the employee’s sector, job category, employment contract and applicable regulations when determining the precise working-hour requirements.