How many weekly days off must a UAE employer give?
At least one paid day a week. Article 21 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 says the weekend is set by the employment contract or the work regulation, and the Cabinet may increase it. Many offices give two days, but the legal minimum for a private-sector worker is one.
Working on the rest day
Article 19 says a worker who has to work on the contractual rest day gets another day off, or that day's normal wage plus at least 50% of the basic wage for the day. A worker may not be told to work more than two consecutive rest days, except day workers. Construction sites running six-day rosters must record rest-day work separately so it is paid correctly.
Hours limits around the rest day
Normal hours are capped at eight a day and 48 a week, and overtime may not exceed two hours a day except in the cases the law allows. These limits interact with the rest day: a six-day, 48-hour roster already uses the weekly maximum.
How SupaJack Construct handles rest days
Shift schedules mark each employee's rest day. Punches on that day are classified as rest-day work by the overtime engine, which applies the UAE Article 19 premiums, and the result feeds the payroll run only after a manager approves it.
Related tools and guides
See the UAE labour law guide for contractors, the final settlement calculator, the gratuity calculator, the annual leave calculator, the unpaid leave deduction calculator, payroll and WPS in SupaJack Construct, time and attendance and the meaning of basic salary.
Worked example
A labourer works Monday to Saturday with Friday as the rest day under the contract, on a basic daily wage of AED 80. The contractor asks him to work Friday to pour a slab. He is owed a substitute day off, or the day's normal wage plus at least AED 40.
Questions people ask
Does the rest day have to be Friday?
No. The contract or work regulation sets it.
Is the rest day paid?
Yes, Article 21 says a paid weekend.
Can a worker be asked to work every rest day?
No. Article 19 bars more than two consecutive rest days, except for day workers.