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Am I entitled to overtime pay in the UAE and how are extra hours counted?

Asked by Anonymous·Jun 10, 2026·1 answers
I work in a warehouse and regularly stay two or three hours past my shift, but my salary never changes. My manager says overtime is already included in my package, and I don't know if that's allowed. Am I entitled to extra pay for those hours, and does it make a difference that I'm sometimes called in on my day off?

This answer is AI-generated by LEXAI. 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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Jun 11, 2026
Yes, in most cases you are entitled to paid overtime, and a manager saying it is already included in your package does not by itself remove that right. Under the UAE Labour Law, Federal Decree-Law 33 of 2021, normal working hours are eight per day or forty-eight per week, and hours worked beyond that must be paid at your normal hourly rate plus a premium of at least twenty-five percent, rising to fifty percent for overtime worked at night. If you are required to work on your weekly rest day, you are entitled to either a substitute rest day or your wage for that day plus a fifty percent premium. Only limited categories of staff, mainly senior managerial and supervisory roles, sit outside the overtime rules, and a warehouse position is very unlikely to qualify. Start by keeping your own record of the hours you actually work, then raise the issue in writing with HR. If nothing changes, you can file a complaint with MOHRE, which handles wage disputes for private-sector workers, and the service is free. A licensed UAE labour lawyer can review your contract and time records and tell you exactly what you are owed.
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