The rates — 125% and 150%
Article 19 of Federal Decree-Law 33/2021 sets two overtime multipliers on the hourly wage:
- 125% (normal overtime) — hours worked beyond the standard 8-hour day, during normal daytime working windows.
- 150% — hours worked between 22:00 and 04:00, or on the weekly rest day, or on public holidays (Article 19(3)–(5)).
The "hourly wage" for the multiplier is the total wage — basic salary plus allowances — divided by 30 days and 8 hours. Housing, transport, and other allowances count.
The 2-hour daily cap
Article 19(1) caps overtime at 2 hours per day as a rule, unless the operation is genuinely essential (utilities, hospitality, security) or the ministry has approved otherwise. Employees cannot be forced to work beyond this without their consent for temporary situations documented by the employer.
Who is exempt (and what "exempt" actually means)
Article 19(6) exempts specific categories from the overtime-multiplier rules:
- Chairmen, directors, and senior executives (as defined in the Executive Regulations).
- Roles where duties naturally include supervision covering employees.
- Sales representatives paid predominantly on commission.
- Sectors and roles specifically named by the Executive Regulations.
"Exempt" means the 125%/150% multipliers don't apply. It does not mean the employer can require unlimited hours for free — the total wage must reflect the workload, and the general fairness rule under Article 44 (misconduct thresholds) still protects against retaliation.
Rest-day pay: 150% or a day in lieu
Working on the contractual weekly rest day (usually Friday or Sunday depending on sector) triggers 150% pay or an equivalent day off at the employer's choice, provided the choice is applied consistently across staff. The rest-day rule is independent of the 2-hour daily cap — a full 8 hours on a rest day is legal (and paid at 150%).
Documenting overtime — the employer's obligation
Article 19(7) requires the employer to keep a written record of overtime hours for each employee, available for MOHRE inspection. This is important for employees: if there's a dispute about unpaid overtime, the burden of producing records falls on the employer. Missing records → MOHRE typically resolves in the employee's favor.
Worked example
An employee with a total monthly wage of AED 12,000 works 3 hours of overtime on Wednesday and a 6-hour rest-day shift on Friday. Calculation:
Hourly rate: 12,000 / 30 / 8 = AED 50/hr Wednesday overtime (125%): 3 hours × 50 × 1.25 = AED 187.50 Friday rest-day (150%): 6 hours × 50 × 1.50 = AED 450.00 Total overtime pay: AED 637.50