Are rest breaks mandatory during a work shift in the UAE?

Yes. Under the UAE Labour Law, employees must not be required to work several continuous hours without a break. The law requires breaks during the working day for rest, meals and prayer, so that the working hours are interrupted by adequate pauses rather than run as one unbroken block. These break periods are generally not counted within your actual working hours. The specific threshold of continuous hours after which a break is due, and the minimum break duration, are set by the law and its executive regulations. Certain operations and roles where the work cannot be interrupted have their own arrangements determined by the relevant authority. Your employment contract and company policy should set out your break schedule. If you are consistently denied breaks or made to work long continuous stretches without rest, this may breach the law, and you can raise the issue with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. To confirm the exact break entitlement for your role, check the current regulations with MOHRE. You can also compare verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI for advice on your working conditions.