Midday Break Timings for UAE Workers Announced

The timings are due to begin on June 15th, and if ignored can result in a AED 5,000 fine per worker

Posted on

5 June 2018

| Last updated on 13 November 2018

by Rebecca Roberts

The UAE midday break timings for 2018 were announced on Tuesday, and are due to be implemented mid-June for three months.

During the summer midday break period in the UAE, labourers, construction workers and other out-of-office workers are prohibited from working in the sun. The law prevents these individuals from working during the hottest hours of the day throughout the UAE's summer period.

For 2018, the UAE midday break will be observed from June 15th until September 15th, from 12.30pm until 3pm each day.

Nasser bin Thani Al Hamli, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, issued the decree, Khaleej Times reports. The decree states that working hours will be divided into two shifts - morning and evening - with a total of eight hours in a 24 hour period.

If workers exceed the 8 hours of work during this period, they must be compensated.

The UAE law on summer midday breaks

According to the UAE's federal law on the regulation of labour relations, "if working conditions require a worker to be employed more than the regular working hours, the worker must be paid a wage equal to normal working hours with an increment no less than 25 per cent of the original wage."

"The worker must be compensated with no less than 50 per cent increase upon the original wage if the worker was employed from 9pm to 4am."

UAE companies must comply with the following rules and regulations as part of the midday break:

The employer must set up a schedule of daily work hours in the workplace, in both Arabic and the language of their employees
A place of rest and shade during the midday break must be provided
Workers who exceed 8 hours of work must be compensated
Cool water and restorative drinks must be provided during this period

Inspections will be made at construction sites to ensure the rules are being followed.

Failure to comply with this decree will result in violating companies being fined AED 5,000 per person if labourers around found working during the break hours. These fines can reach up to AED 50,000 if several workers are found in violation of the midday break decree.