UAE Overtime Rules Explained: Rates, Limits and Examples
Updated
calculateTry the Overtime & Holiday Pay calculatorarrow_forwardThe rates
Article 19 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 sets the minimum overtime pay. All rates are based on your basic wage:
| Situation | Minimum pay | Article |
|---|---|---|
| Overtime on a normal day | Normal hourly wage +25% | 19(2) |
| Overtime between 10 pm and 4 am | Normal hourly wage +50% (shift workers excluded) | 19(3) |
| Work on your contractual rest day | Another rest day, or the day’s wage +50% | 19(4) |
| Work on an official holiday | Another rest day, or the day’s wage +50% | 28(2) |
These are minimums, so your contract may pay more.
How the hourly wage is worked out
The law bases overtime on the basic wage but does not give the divisor. The usual method is monthly basic salary ÷ 30 ÷ normal daily hours. A worker on AED 6,000 basic with 8-hour days has an hourly wage of 6,000 ÷ 30 ÷ 8 = AED 25.
Example: 10 overtime hours on normal days, 4 night hours and 2 rest-day hours.
- 10 × 25 × 1.25 = AED 312.50
- 4 × 25 × 1.5 = AED 150
- 2 × 25 × 1.5 = AED 75
- Total: AED 537.50
The limits
- Overtime cannot exceed two hours a day unless it is needed to prevent serious loss or a serious accident.
- Total working hours cannot exceed 144 hours every three weeks.
- You cannot be required to work more than two consecutive rest days (day labourers excepted).
- Normal working hours are reduced by two hours during Ramadan (Executive Regulations, Article 15).
Who is exempt
The Executive Regulations (Article 15) exempt some categories from the working-hours limits: board members, people in supervisory roles who have the powers of an employer, sea crews, and activities that run in shifts or rounds with an average of no more than 56 hours a week, among others.
Calculate yours
The overtime calculator does the arithmetic for day, night and rest-day hours. Your basic salary matters, so see the salary breakdown calculator if you only know your total package.
Official text: Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 · Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022
Checked against the official text on 1 October 2026. General information, not legal advice.
Work out your own figure
Enter your dates and basic salary to see your estimate and how it is calculated.
Open the calculatorarrow_forwardThis guide is general information, not legal advice. Check your own entitlement with MOHRE or a qualified adviser. See our Disclaimer.