Working On An Official Public Holiday In The UAE

Private-sector public holiday entitlements are governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Employment Relationships (as amended) and its implementing instruments. This insight addresses private-sector entitlements under the UAE Labour Law. Public-sector and certain special categories may be subject to different rules or frameworks.
As a general rule, employees are entitled to official public holidays with full pay. However, where work conditions require attendance on a public holiday, the employer must provide either:

1. A compensatory day off for each public holiday worked, or
2. Payment for that day as a normal working day plus an additional amount of not less than 50% of the employee’s basic wage for that day.

The holiday premium is tied to basic wage, not total package. As a result, disputes often arise where employers attempt to apply the premium to allowances, or alternatively to avoid the premium by offering vague “time off later” arrangements. The law requires a clear compensatory day off or a clearly calculated pay entitlement. This is a statutory minimum and internal company policy or informal assurances do not displace it.

If you are asked to work on a public holiday, the safest approach is to obtain written confirmation beforehand (email or WhatsApp is usually sufficient) of which entitlement will apply: compensatory day off, or payment as a normal day plus at least 50% of basic wage for that day.
Employees are recommended to retain basic evidence of attendance as a holiday dispute may turn on proof of work performed

Frequently Asked Questions

1) Can the employer choose between compensatory day off and additional pay, or can the employee choose?

In most cases, the employer selects the method of compensation. Practically, employees should request written confirmation of which route is being applied and when, especially if the employer intends to give a compensatory day off.

2) What if I am on shift work or a rotating roster?

Shift patterns do not remove the entitlement. The position remains the same: if you worked on the official holiday, the employer must provide a compensatory day off or the minimum additional pay.

3) If the employer does not comply, what is the practical escalation path?

Start with a written request for clarification and correction. If unresolved, escalation is typically through internal HR and then MOHRE channels for wage and entitlement complaints, depending on the employee’s contract and visa status. Timing and documentation matter.