Private sector employees in the UAE who are required to report to work during the upcoming Eid Al Adha break are protected by federal law — and must be compensated through one of two legally defined options.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) has announced a four-day paid holiday from Tuesday, May 26, to Friday, May 29, covering Arafat Day and the Eid Al Adha celebration. Regular working hours are set to return on Monday, June 1.
Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, which governs private sector employment in the UAE, addresses this situation directly under Article 28. The provision states: “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 practice, this means employers must choose between granting a substitute rest day for each holiday worked — separate from an employee’s regular annual leave — or paying the worker their full daily wage plus a minimum premium of 50 per cent of their basic salary. Employment contracts may set a higher rate, but not a lower one. The decision on which option to apply falls to the employer, though both paths carry the same legal weight.
Workers who believe they were required to work during the holiday without receiving either form of compensation may raise the matter directly with their employer. Should that go unresolved, a formal complaint can be filed with MOHRE, which oversees private sector labour disputes and facilitates mediation between the two parties.
