Asked to Work on a UAE Public Holiday? Here's What the Labour Law Says About Your Pay (2026)
It is the text message that lands at the worst possible moment: it's the evening before a public holiday, your bag is half-packed for a lazy long weekend, and your manager writes, "Can you come in tomorrow? We're short-staffed." Half of Dubai will feel a version of that this week, with the Islamic New Year holiday falling on Monday 15 June 2026 — so it is worth knowing, calmly and exactly, what the law actually owes you if you say yes.
I am not a lawyer, and this is not legal advice — but I have lived the expat working life here long enough to know how much anxiety comes simply from not knowing the rules. So let's read the UAE Labour Law together, in plain English, so that next time the message arrives you know your number before you reply, and you can answer your manager with a smile instead of a knot in your stomach.
What the Labour Law says about holidays
Working hours, leave and public holidays for private-sector staff are governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 — the UAE Labour Law — and its executive regulations. The official summaries on the UAE Government portal and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) are the sources I trust. The headline principle is simple: a public holiday is paid time off. You are entitled to the day with full pay, and if the nature of the work means you are asked to come in anyway, you must be compensated for it — you do not simply lose the holiday.
Public holidays in the UAE are announced for both the public and private sectors, and the list of official public holidays is the same nationwide. That matters: a private company cannot quietly decide that a federal holiday "doesn't apply" to its staff. Whether you work in retail, hospitality, construction or a glass tower downtown, the holiday entitlement is your legal baseline, not a perk your employer grants at its discretion.
How holiday pay is calculated
Under the Labour Law, if an employee is required to work on an official public holiday, the employer must grant either a substitute rest day OR pay the normal wage for that day plus an increase of at least 50% of the basic wage for the hours worked. In everyday terms, working the holiday should leave you better off than a normal day — either with a day back in your pocket or with premium pay on top of your standard salary.
Option A — a day off in lieu — you work the holiday and your employer gives you another paid day off to replace it.
Option B — holiday premium — you are paid your normal wage for the day plus at least 50% extra on your basic wage for the time you worked.
Overtime can stack — if holiday hours also run beyond your normal working hours, overtime rules under the law may apply on top — worth checking against your contract.
Full-day holiday pay stands — even if you are not called in, the public holiday itself is paid; it is not deducted from your annual leave.
My honest advice: before you agree to work a holiday, ask one calm question in writing — "Will this be a day in lieu or holiday pay?" Getting the answer on email, politely, protects everyone and spares you an awkward payslip conversation later.
Overtime, hours and the small print
It helps to understand how the holiday rule sits inside the wider framework. The Labour Law caps standard working hours and sets out how working hours and leave are treated, including overtime. Your "basic wage" — the figure the 50% premium is calculated on — is the base salary in your contract, not your total package with allowances, so it is worth knowing that number. And remember the calculation is on the hours actually worked on the holiday: a half-day called in is compensated for the half-day, not assumed to be the whole shift.
Different rules can also apply depending on your contract type — full-time, part-time, temporary or flexible work each have their own treatment under the 2021 law and its updates. If your arrangement is unusual, read your contract alongside the official guidance rather than assuming the standard full-time rule applies to you.
What to do if you're asked to work
Most employers in Dubai handle this fairly and routinely — but knowing the steps keeps you confident. Start with your own contract and company policy, which should spell out how holidays and overtime are treated. Confirm whether you are being offered a day in lieu or premium pay, and keep the agreement in writing. If the holiday work becomes a pattern with no compensation, that is when the formal route matters.
MoHRE runs a clear complaints and dispute process for private-sector workers, and you can read your full set of labour rights and duties on the government portal. The system here is built to be used — registering a query with MoHRE is normal, free, and not something to be nervous about. For anyone working in or near the Dubai International Financial Centre, note that DIFC operates its own employment law, so check whether your contract sits under federal law or the DIFC regime before you reach for the wrong rulebook.
Pair it with
For the calendar itself, see my guide to the Islamic New Year 2026 public holiday and the full list of UAE public holidays and long weekends in 2026. And because pay timing matters just as much as pay rules, my explainer on the UAE private-sector salary payment deadline is a useful companion read.
Not sponsored. This is general information drawn from publicly available summaries of UAE Labour Law, not legal advice. Rules differ for DIFC, ADGM and free-zone contracts, and the law is periodically updated — for your specific situation, check your contract and consult MoHRE or a qualified adviser.
Photos: Kate Trysh and Darcey Beau via Unsplash; Muhammad Tahir Bhatti and Michaelbibin via Wikimedia Commons; reviewed this session for UAE subject and quality.
— Angel Tyagi, Creator of Angel In Dubai
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