UAE Labour Law Guarantees Paid Leave and Compensation for Holiday Work

Article 28 of the UAE Labour Law guarantees all workers paid leave on official public holidays designated by Cabinet resolution. Employers that require staff to work during a public holiday must either grant a full replacement rest day or pay standard daily wages plus at least 50% of the basic wage. The choice between compensation options rests with the employer and cannot be reduced by agreement.

Published November 1, 2026 Source: Legit News

English Original
中文 Chinese version
العربية Automatic translation

Issuing authority: UAE Cabinet
Jurisdiction: United Arab Emirates
Stage: Final rule
Official document: UAE Labour Law Article 28
Official source: news.google.com

Illustration

Under Article 28 of the United Arab Emirates Labour Law, every worker has a statutory right to paid leave on all official public holidays determined by Cabinet resolution, Legit News reported.

If operational conditions make it unavoidable for an employee to work on an official holiday, the employer must adhere to one of two mandatory compensation arrangements. The employer must either grant a full substitute rest day for each holiday worked, or pay the employee their standard daily wage along with an additional premium of at least 50% of their basic daily wage for that day.

According to the report, a worker with a basic daily wage of AED 300 would be entitled to a minimum total payout of AED 450 for working on a public holiday under the wage-enhancement option. While the employer retains the right to choose between providing compensatory time off or enhanced pay, statutory minimum entitlements cannot be waived or downgraded by mutual agreement.

The report also stated that the schedule of official public holidays is subject to annual updates by government decisions, and noted that Article 14 of the UAE Labour Law provides legal protections against workplace violence and harassment.