Instantly calculate overtime pay under UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021). Handles regular, night-shift, and Friday/holiday overtime.
Overtime in the UAE is regulated by Articles 17 to 19 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, which took effect on 2 February 2022. The key rules every employer and HR team must know:
| Type | Hours per day | Hours per week |
|---|---|---|
| Standard (non-Ramadan) | 8 hours | 48 hours |
| Ramadan (Muslim employees) | 6 hours | 36 hours |
| Hazardous or arduous work | 7 hours | Per sector regulation |
| Type of overtime | Rate | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Regular overtime | 125% of hourly rate | Hours beyond standard working hours |
| Night overtime | 150% of hourly rate | Work between 10 pm and 4 am |
| Friday overtime | 150% of hourly rate | Work on Friday (the UAE rest day) |
| Public holiday overtime | 150% of hourly rate | Work on an official UAE public holiday |
The standard method:
Example: AED 6,000 monthly basic → hourly rate = AED 6,000 ÷ 240 = AED 25/hour
Regular overtime = AED 25 × 1.25 = AED 31.25/hour
Night/Friday overtime = AED 25 × 1.50 = AED 37.50/hour
Employees cannot be required to work more than 2 overtime hours per day in normal circumstances. Total working time (including overtime) must not exceed 10 hours per day, except where the nature of the business requires it with MOHRE approval.
Yes. With the employee's agreement, an employer may grant compensatory time off in lieu of overtime pay, but the time off must be equivalent to the overtime hours worked.
Most private-sector employees are entitled to overtime. Senior managers, employees in managerial or supervisory roles who have authority over other employees, and certain categories defined by MOHRE may be excluded. Domestic workers are governed by a separate law.
Saturday is not a mandatory public rest day under UAE federal law (Friday is). Whether Saturday hours are overtime depends on the employment contract and the agreed working schedule. If the contract specifies a 5-day week and the employee works on Saturday, those hours are overtime.
The hourly overtime rate is calculated on basic salary only, the same as gratuity. Housing, transport, and other allowances are excluded from the overtime base rate.
Wurxa calculates gratuity, overtime, and WPS for every employee automatically.
No spreadsheets. No manual checks. Free for up to 5 employees.