As promised, this is a more detailed discussion of the new Labour Law, which takes effect on 2 February 2022. For an initial snapshot, see my inBrief dated 21 November 2021.

In that earlier inBrief, I discussed what I thought were the most significant departures from previous law, including the new rules on termination of contracts with notice, on end-of-service gratuity, on overtime, and on non-compete clauses. Some of those earlier remarks are further developed below.

However, since the Federal Government has now announced a switch to a Monday-Friday work week, I would like to start this inBrief with a discussion of the provisions of the work week that appear in the new Labour Law.

Work week

There has been much discussion in recent months about the UAE possibly moving to a Western work week, Monday to Friday, with eight working hours per day, and 40 working hours per week. Indeed, the public sector is moving in that direction, and it must be expected that the private sector will follow.

The new Labour Law opens the door but does not step through. The work week continues to be defined as eight hours per day, six days per week, and 48 hours per week. Friday is no longer designated as the official day of rest, and the Cabinet may add to the weekly day of rest — or change work hours — by Resolution. The new Law gives scope to employees who wish to work remotely, either within or outside the UAE, to reach mutual agreement with their employers on working hours.

An employee...

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