From the start of the year the United Arab Emirates is adopting a four and a half day working week.
The new four and a half-day working week applies to public sector employees and came into effect on the 1st January this year.
The working week for public sector employees is 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Fridays. workdays will run from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Friday hours will be 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
WAM, the state news agency said government employees can make arrangements to work from home on Fridays as well as “arrange their working hours on a flexi-time basis.”
The new rules make the UAE the first nation to have a formal working week of less than five days and it also brings the UAE more in line with Western schedules.
“The extended weekend comes as part of the UAE government’s efforts to boost work-life balance and enhance social wellbeing, while increasing performance to advance the UAE’s economic competitiveness,” said state news agency WAM,
The Associated Press reports that private industry will likely follow the government’s lead, noting it did so in 2006 when the Saturday-Wednesday workweek changed.
IPS MEA, the Dubai based Turbon subsidiary has announced new working hours to align with UAE Government & Global Market and working hours are now Monday to Friday 8.30 AM – 5.00 PM with effect from January 1, 2022.
