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Can your employer require you to work on a public holiday without notice in UAE?
Employees called in on public holidays may be entitled to a substitute day off or additional pay, according to UAE employment law
- PUBLISHED: Sun 21 Jun 2026, 9:10 AM
Question: Every time a public holiday comes around, my boss simply assumes that I will work. There is no official communication requesting me to work on that day. Is this how it is supposed to be handled? Could you please outline the procedure that needs to be followed, including how such work should be documented and how and when I can take compensatory time off?
Answer: Pursuant to your queries, it is assumed that you are employed by a mainland company in the emirate of Dubai. Therefore, the provisions of UAE employment law are applicable.
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In the UAE, an employee is entitled to official leave on the public holidays as per the notification issued by the relevant local authority or the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization. This is in accordance with Article 28(1) of the Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Employment Relations (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.”
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Further, if an employee works during the public holidays, he or she is eligible to compensatory leave or salary for normal working days plus additional salary of at least 50% (fifty percent) of the basic salary for the days you worked during public holidays. 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 percent of his basic salary for that day.”
Based on the aforementioned provisions of law, if your employer calls upon you to work on public holidays, then your employer is obligated to grant you compensatory leave for working during public holidays. Alternatively, your employer may consider paying you additional salary for working during public holidays along with additional salary of at least 50 per cent (fifty percent) of your basic salary for the days you worked during public holidays. An employer may not merely presume that an employee will work on a public holiday, any such requirement should be clearly communicated and properly recorded.
Applicable provisions:
Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Employment Relations
Ashish Mehta is the founder and Managing Partner of Ashish Mehta & Associates. He is qualified to practise law in Dubai, the United Kingdom and India. Full details of his firm on: www.amalawyers.com. Readers may e-mail their questions to: news@khaleejtimes.com or send them to Legal View, Khaleej Times, PO Box 11243, Dubai.
Disclaimer: The information provided above is intended for general guidance and does not constitute legal advice. It is recommended to seek formal legal counsel.