50% more salary, extra day off: Rules for UAE employees to know if working this Eid Al Adha

[Editor's note: This article, originally published in June 2023, is being reshared to inform residents of the rules in light of the ongoing Eid holidays.]

Question: I work in a mainland Dubai firm. If I am made to work on all four days of the Eid Al Adha break, what are my entitlements? Are there any exemptions to these entitlements?

Answer: In the UAE, an employee is eligible for public holidays as per the announcements made by the relevant local authority or the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. This is in accordance with Article 28(1) of the Employment Law, which states, “The employee shall be entitled to official leave with full pay in public holidays determined by decision of the Cabinet."

However, if an employer calls upon an employee to work during public holidays, such an employee is entitled to compensatory leave for working on a public holiday or salary of a day along with 50 per cent of the basic salary as additional pay for working on a public holiday.

This is in accordance with Article 28(2) of the Employment Law, which states, "Should the work circumstances require that the employee be employed on holidays, the employee shall be compensated with a substitute rest day for each day worked or be paid his salary for normal working days plus a supplement of at least (50%) fifty per cent of his basic wage for that day.”

Based on the aforementioned provisions of law, if your employer calls upon you to work during upcoming Eid Al Adha holidays you are eligible for additional salary or compensatory holidays as mentioned in aforesaid Article 28(2) of the Employment Law. Your employer may not have any exemptions related to these obligations as it needs to abide by the aforesaid provisions of the Employment Law.

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