The overtime rules
Overtime in the private sector is governed by Article 19 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021:
- Normal hours: up to 8 hours a day or 48 a week. Anything beyond is overtime.
- Ordinary overtime: your basic hourly wage plus at least 25%.
- Night overtime, 10 pm to 4 am: basic hourly wage plus at least 50%. This does not apply to shift workers.
- Rest days: a substitute day off, or a normal day's wage plus at least 50% of a day's basic salary.
- Public holidays: the same choice — a substitute day off, or a normal day's wage plus at least 50% of a day's basic (Article 28).
- Limits: at most 2 hours of overtime a day, and no more than 144 working hours in any three weeks.
Working out the hourly rate
The law says overtime is based on the basic wage, but not how to turn a monthly salary into an hourly one. The usual method is monthly basic ÷ 30 days ÷ 8 hours, which the calculator uses. Some employers divide by 26 working days instead, which gives a higher rate: on AED 6,000 basic, AED 28.85 an hour instead of AED 25.00. Check your contract or company policy; if it is more generous, it applies.
Worked example
An employee on AED 6,000 basic (AED 9,000 in total) works 20 hours of daytime overtime and 6 hours after 10 pm in a month, and is paid for working two rest days and one public holiday.
- Basic hourly rate: 6,000 ÷ 30 ÷ 8 = AED 25.00
- 20 hours at AED 31.25 (+25%) = AED 625.00
- 6 night hours at AED 37.50 (+50%) = AED 225.00
- Each rest day or holiday: a normal day's pay of 9,000 ÷ 30 = AED 300, plus 50% of 6,000 ÷ 30 = AED 100, so AED 400.00. Three days = AED 1,200.00
- Total overtime pay: AED 2,050.00
Who is exempt
The working-hours limits do not apply to board chairs and members, people in supervisory roles with the employer's authority, seafarers, certain continuous-shift work and preparatory work. Workers under 18 may not work overtime at all, and may not work more than 6 hours a day.
Unpaid overtime is part of your dues when a job ends — add it to the final settlement calculator. DIFC and ADGM have their own rules. See our disclaimer.