Public holidays

Public holidays in the United Arab Emirates are statutory days on which employees are entitled to paid time off. The recognized public holidays include New Year's Day, Prophet's Birthday, Islamic New Year, Eid al-Fitr, Arafat Day, Eid al-Adha, and National Day. These holidays are observed across the private and public sectors, though the exact dates vary annually based on the Islamic lunar calendar for religious observances.

The legal framework governing public holidays in the UAE is established under the UAE Labour Law, specifically within provisions addressing annual leave and statutory rest periods. Employment contracts must explicitly reference entitlement to official holidays as paid days, ensuring employees receive compensation equivalent to a regular working day when these dates fall within their scheduled work week.

Employers are required to recognize all seven designated public holidays and provide paid leave to employees on these dates. If a public holiday coincides with a weekend or an employee's scheduled rest day, compensation or an alternative day off may be provided in accordance with employment contract terms and company policy. The Islamic holidays—Prophet's Birthday, Islamic New Year, Eid al-Fitr, Arafat Day, and Eid al-Adha—are determined by the lunar calendar and announced by UAE authorities, typically a few days before observance.

Payroll teams must ensure that compensation for public holidays is calculated at the employee's regular daily rate and properly recorded in payroll systems. Employers should maintain updated holiday calendars and communicate confirmed dates to staff promptly. Employment contracts should clearly state the number of paid public holidays and any conditions regarding holiday pay calculation, particularly for employees on variable or performance-based compensation structures.