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How is overtime calculated in the UAE as per labour law?

Asked by Anonymous·Jun 26, 2026·1 answers
My manager asks me to stay late and I want to understand how overtime pay should be worked out.

This answer is AI-generated and editorially reviewed. It is general legal information, not legal advice — verify anything you act on with a licensed UAE lawyer. How LEXAI uses AI

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LEXAI

Editorially reviewed by LEXAI

Jun 26, 2026
Under the UAE Labour Law, any hours you work beyond your normal daily working time, at your employer's request, are treated as overtime and must be paid. The law sets out an overtime premium: overtime is generally paid at your basic wage for those hours plus an additional percentage uplift, with a higher uplift applying when the overtime falls within night hours defined by the law. Work performed on your weekly rest day is compensated either with a replacement rest day or with your basic wage plus a further uplift for that day. The calculation starts from your basic wage (not necessarily your full gross package with allowances), converted to an hourly rate. The law also caps how much overtime can be worked. Because the exact percentages and night-hour window are set by the Decree-Law and its executive regulations, confirm the current figures and how they apply to your contract with MOHRE before relying on a calculation. If your overtime is unpaid or miscalculated, you can raise a complaint with MOHRE, and you can compare verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI.
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