UAE
UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, Article 19: overtime
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To check this, or for anything official:
Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisationmohre.gov.ae
See what your overtime hours are worth before payday.
Work out your overtime pay under the UAE Labour Law (Articles 19, 21 and 28): a 25% premium on the hourly wage by day and 50% at night.
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How is overtime calculated?
- Hourly wage = (basic only) ÷ 240
- ordinary: × 1.25 · night: × 1.5 · rest day: × 1.5 · holiday: × 1.5
- Overtime = sum of (hours × hourly wage × multiplier)
Symbols
- hourly wage
- The monthly wage divided by 240 hours, which is 30 days × 8 hours
- multiplier
- The rate the law sets for each kind of hour
What are 10 overtime hours worth on 8,000?
An employee with a basic salary of 6,000 AED works 10 regular overtime hours, 4 night overtime hours after 10 pm, and 8 hours on the weekly rest day without a day off in lieu, all in the same month.
- Basic hourly wage: 6,000 ÷ 240 = 25 AED
- Regular overtime: 10 × 25 × 1.25 = 312.50 AED
- Night overtime: 4 × 25 × 1.5 = 150 AED
- Rest-day hours: 8 × 25 × 1.5 = 300 AED
Total: 312.50 + 150 + 300 = 762.50 AED for 22 overtime hours, paid on top of the monthly salary under Articles 19, 21 and 28.
How do ordinary, rest-day and holiday hours differ?
Under Article 17 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, normal working hours are capped at 8 a day or 48 a week, reduced by two hours a day during Ramadan. Article 19 treats anything beyond that as overtime, paid at the normal hourly wage calculated on the basic salary plus at least 25%.
The premium rises to at least 50% when the overtime falls between 10 pm and 4 am; this night premium does not apply to shift workers. If the worker works on the weekly rest day (Article 21) or on a public holiday (Article 28), the employer must grant a substitute day off or pay the wage for that day plus at least 50% of the basic wage.
Overtime may not exceed two hours a day unless the work is needed to prevent a substantial loss or a serious accident or to remove its effects, and total actual working hours may not exceed 144 in any three weeks. The calculator finds the basic hourly wage by dividing the monthly basic salary by 240 (30 days × 8 hours).
- Basic hourly wage = monthly basic salary ÷ 240
- Regular overtime: hourly wage × 125% (Article 19)
- Overtime between 10 pm and 4 am: hourly wage × 150% (Article 19)
- Work on the weekly rest day or a public holiday: a day off in lieu, or hourly wage × 150% (Articles 21 and 28)
Questions about overtime and how it is paid
Do allowances count towards overtime pay in the UAE?
No. Article 19 bases the overtime rate on the wage for normal working hours calculated on the basic salary, plus the premium. That is why the calculator asks only for the basic salary, not allowances.
What is the overtime premium?
At least 25% on top of the basic hourly wage for regular overtime, and at least 50% if the hours fall between 10 pm and 4 am (Article 19). These are minimums, and a contract or company policy may set a higher rate.
What if I work on my weekly rest day or a public holiday?
The employer may either give you a substitute rest day or pay the wage for that day plus at least 50% of the basic wage (Articles 21 and 28). The calculator assumes the cash option, so if you received a day off in lieu, do not enter those hours.
What is the maximum overtime per day?
Two hours a day under Article 19. It may be exceeded only when the work is necessary to prevent a substantial loss or a serious accident, or to remove or reduce its effects, and total actual working hours may not exceed 144 in any three weeks.
Who is not entitled to overtime pay?
Under the Executive Regulations, the working-hours and overtime rules do not apply to chairpersons and board members, to holders of senior supervisory positions with the employer's authority such as general managers, their deputies and department heads, or to the crews of sea vessels. The night premium also does not apply to shift workers (Article 19).
How is the hourly wage worked out from a monthly salary?
Divide the monthly basic salary by 30 days and then by 8 hours, that is by 240, the convention used in practice. A basic salary of 6,000 AED gives an hourly wage of 25 AED, a regular overtime rate of 31.25 AED and a night rate of 37.50 AED.
Sources
Under reviewReviewed September 2026One figure on this page is applied the way the authority applies it; the article's own wording is still being read.
Still being checked: the divisor used for the hourly wage
- Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations, UAE Legislation portal
- Working hours and overtime in the private sector: The Official Portal of the UAE Government (u.ae)
- Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE)
Statutory articles this calculator applies
- UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, Article 19: overtime
- UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, Article 21: work on the weekly rest day
- UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, Article 28: work on public holidays
UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (in force 2022-02-02) and Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022 (Executive Regulations)