The UAE authorities have announced that for public sector employees, the working week will be reduced to four and a half days, with the weekend running from Friday afternoon to Sunday. The new working week will apply in Federal sector entities from 1 January 2022. Whilst there have been no formal announcements from the Ministry of Human Resources & Emiratisation (MOHRE) that the changes will extend to the private sector, recommendations have been circulated to the press that private sector employers seek to utilize the increased flexibility introduced under the new UAE Labor Law (coming into force on 2 February 2022) and align towards a Monday to Friday working week.
We look at the potential impact of this announcement for employers in the private sector and what actions may need to be taken for those companies who are exploring a change in their operational/working patterns to align with the change for the public sector.
