What Article 19 says
Overtime is covered by Article 19 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021. It is short, so here is what it says in plain words.
- Normal overtime. Hours above the normal working hours are paid at the wage for normal hours, calculated on the basic salary (the law says basic wage), plus at least 25% (Article 19(2)).
- Night overtime. Overtime between 10 pm and 4 am is paid at the normal wage plus at least 50%. Workers on shifts are excluded from this clause (Article 19(3)).
- Weekly rest day. If you must work on your weekly day off, you get another day off, or the pay of that day plus at least 50% of the basic wage for that day (Article 19(4)).
- Daily limit. Overtime may not be more than 2 hours a day, except in the cases the Executive Regulation allows (Article 19(1)).
- Overall limit. Total working hours may not pass 144 hours in 3 weeks (Article 19(1)).
| Situation | Pay | Article |
|---|---|---|
| Overtime after normal hours | Hourly wage + 25% (125%) | 19(2) |
| Overtime from 10 pm to 4 am | Hourly wage + 50% (150%), not for shift workers | 19(3) |
| Work on the weekly rest day | Another day off, or day's wage + 50% of basic for that day | 19(4) |
| Daily overtime | At most 2 hours | 19(1) |
| Working hours in 3 weeks | At most 144 | 19(1) |
These are minimums. Your contract or company policy can pay more, and then the higher rate applies.
How to work out your overtime
- 1Take your basic salary
- 2Divide by 30 and by your daily hours
- 3Pick the rate (125% or 150%)
- 4Multiply by your extra hours
- 5Add the lines
The law does not print a formula for turning a monthly salary into an hourly wage. The common method is basic salary ÷ 30 ÷ normal hours per day, and that is what the UAE overtime calculator uses. Some employers divide by 26 working days instead. If your payslip uses a different divisor, ask HR to show it in writing.
One month worked out
Basic salary AED 4,500. Normal day of 8 hours. The total salary is higher, but only the basic counts.
- Hourly wage: 4,500 ÷ 30 = 150 a day, and 150 ÷ 8 = AED 18.75.
- 12 normal overtime hours: 12 × 18.75 = 225, and 225 × 1.25 = AED 281.25.
- 6 overtime hours that fell between 10 pm and 4 am: 6 × 18.75 = 112.50, and 112.50 × 1.5 = AED 168.75.
- 1 full rest day of 8 hours, paid in money: the day's wage is 150, plus 50% is 75, so AED 225.00.
| Item | Working | Pay (AED) |
|---|---|---|
| 12 normal overtime hours | 12 × 18.75 × 1.25 | 281.25 |
| 6 night hours | 6 × 18.75 × 1.5 | 168.75 |
| 1 rest day worked | 150 + 75 | 225.00 |
| Total overtime | 675.00 |
The mistake that costs the most: using total salary
Many people divide their total salary. Take a total of AED 7,500 with the same AED 4,500 basic.
- Wrong hourly wage: 7,500 ÷ 30 ÷ 8 = AED 31.25.
- Wrong pay for 12 overtime hours: 12 × 31.25 × 1.25 = AED 468.75.
- Pay on the basic, as Article 19 says: AED 281.25.
If your employer pays on the larger figure, that is generous and allowed. If you counted on it and the payslip shows the smaller one, the law is on the employer's side, so check your contract before you argue.
The 144 hours rule in plain numbers
The 144 hours are counted over 3 weeks. The normal maximum is 48 hours a week, and 3 × 48 is 144. So a person who works a full 48 hours every week has no room left for overtime inside the cap. A person on a 5 day week of 8 hours works 40 hours, 3 × 40 is 120, and that leaves 24 hours of room over the 3 weeks. These are our own sums from the text of Article 19, not a ruling, so ask MOHRE if your hours are close to the limit.
Who may not get overtime
Article 20 lets the Executive Regulation list categories of workers who are excluded from the working hours rules. The law itself does not name them, so check the Executive Regulation, your job category and your contract. Night overtime is also not paid at 150% to shift workers under Article 19(3).
Ramadan
The Executive Regulation (Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022) reduces the private sector working day by 2 hours during Ramadan. Gulf News reports that overtime rules stay in place when staff must work beyond the reduced hours. Ask your employer how it counts Ramadan hours, because that point is not spelled out in Article 19 itself.
Keep your own record
Write down the date, the start and finish time and the reason each time you stay late or work on a rest day. A note on your phone is enough. If a payslip is short, this record is what you show HR or MOHRE.
Overtime pay is not part of the basic salary, so it does not raise your gratuity. See the UAE gratuity calculator and the final settlement calculator.
This is an estimate under the published law, not legal advice. The rules and the Executive Regulation can change, so check the current text.
Questions people ask about UAE overtime pay
Is overtime paid on basic or total salary? On the basic salary. Article 19 says the wage for normal hours is calculated according to the basic wage.
How much is overtime at night? The normal hourly wage plus at least 50%, for overtime between 10 pm and 4 am. It does not apply to workers on shifts.
Do I get paid for working on my day off? Yes. You get another day off, or the day's wage plus at least 50% of the basic wage for that day. You cannot be told to work more than two weekend days in a row, except day workers (Article 19(5)).
How many overtime hours a day are allowed? At most 2, unless the Executive Regulation allows more, and no more than 144 working hours in 3 weeks.
Can my employer refuse to pay overtime? If the extra hours were ordered by the employer and you are not in an excluded category, the pay is due. Keep your hour record and raise it with HR first, then MOHRE.