In a recent column by Ashish Mehta in Khaleej Times, an important clarification was made regarding the rights of employees working during the UAE National Day holidays. A private company employee in Dubai raised a query about working on the announced public holidays of December 2, 3, and 4, which fall on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, with their regular off being Wednesday.
Ashish Mehta, founder and Managing Partner of Ashish Mehta & Associates, explained that the Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Employment Relations governs such situations. According to Article 28(1) of the Employment Law, employees in the UAE are entitled to official leave with full pay on public holidays as declared by the local authority or the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE).
Moreover, if an employee is required to work during these public holidays, they are entitled to either compensatory leave or additional salary plus a minimum of 50 percent of the basic salary. This is in line with Article 28(2) of the Employment Law.
Therefore, for employees asked to work on the UAE National Day holidays, the law mandates that employers must provide 3 days of compensatory leave or an additional salary for these days, supplemented with at least 50 percent of the basic salary.