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KNOW THE LAW: Working during holidays entitles employees to comp off + 50% extra pay per day

As the Eid holidays approach, some expats – especially those working in the hospitality and customer- service-oriented sectors, would still be behind their desks and working. And as per the UAE Labor Law, they should get an extra day of leave as well as 50% of their day’s rate for working during holiday.

The UAE government has announced that the 29th Ramadan to the 3rd day of Shawwal will be the official holiday of both the public and private sectors and is expected to begin by June 3 and will last till Thursday, June 6– extending all the way to the usual two-day off for majority of the workers for a total of 9 days for public, and up to 6 days for private sector employees.

The complete text from UAE’s Article 81 of the Labor Law is as follows:

“Where it is necessary for the work interest to put a worker on duty during public holidays or days off in respect of which he is entitled to full or partial pay, he shall be granted substitute leave in respect of such days, plus 50 per cent of his wage. If he is not granted substitute leave, his employer shall pay him 150 per cent of his basic wage in respect of the days worked.”

The UAE Labor Law likewise stipulates that the Eid Al Fitr holiday is an official 3-day holiday for the country, along with other holidays of the year as per article 74.

Article 74:

Each worker shall be entitled to leave with full pay on the following occasions:

  1. New Year’s Day (Hijri New Year): one day.
  2. New Year’s Day: one day.
  3. Eid Al Fitr: two days.
  4. Eid Al Adha: three days.
  5. Birthday of Prophet Mohammed: one day.
  6. Al Isra’ wal Mi’raj: one day;
  7. National Day: one day.

Staff Report

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One Comment

  1. Im working only in cafeteria..
    I ask my general manager if we have holiday, double pay or off set.. And them i tell them that i ask in the labor..
    He told me no we are only cafeteria we dont have holidays, we dont have double pay, we dont have off set..
    And he told me cafeteria is different about what im reading in the labor law
    This eid i take off beacuse they told me we dont have holiday.. But im really sure they cut that in my salary..

    What should i do…
    Sorry for the english
    Give me some suggestions please..
    Thank you

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