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Based on Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 | Source: MOHRE and UAE Government

Working overtime in the UAE and want to know how much you should be paid?

Our UAE Overtime Calculator helps you estimate your overtime pay based on your basic salary, overtime hours, and the type of overtime you worked. It covers normal working hours, night overtime, weekly rest days, public holidays, and Ramadan overtime under UAE Labour Law.

Wondering how to calculate overtime in UAE? Enter your details in the calculator above to get your estimated OT pay, then use the guide below to understand the formula, rates, and rules behind the calculation.

UAE Overtime Formula

Basic Salary ÷ 30 ÷ 8 × Overtime Hours × Rate

This is the core method for how to calculate overtime pay in UAE, regardless of whether the hours fall on a normal day, night shift, rest day, or public holiday.

For an employee on AED 6,000 basic salary, that’s AED 25.00 basic hourly rate. Here’s how the rate changes by overtime type:

Overtime type	Rate	AED 6,000 salary
Normal daytime overtime	1.25x	AED 31.25/hr
Night overtime (10 PM – 4 AM)	1.50x	AED 37.50/hr
Weekly rest day	1.50x	AED 37.50/hr
Public holiday (no substitute day)	1.50x	AED 37.50/hr

This uses basic salary only, housing, transport, and food allowances are excluded. The formula divides by 30 because Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 treats a calendar month as 30 days for payroll purposes, and by 8 because that’s the standard normal working day.

How Much Is 1 Hour of Overtime in UAE?

If your basic salary is AED 6,000:

AED 6,000 ÷ 30 ÷ 8 = AED 25.00 basic hourly rate

• Normal daytime overtime (125%): AED 31.25/hour
• Night or weekly rest day overtime (150%): AED 37.50/hour

Working extra hours in the UAE? Under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, most MOHRE-regulated private-sector employees are covered by UAE overtime rules, part of the broader UAE labour law framework, although certain categories are excluded under Article 20. This page includes a free UAE overtime calculator for 2026, plus the formulas, rates, and examples behind every figure.

How to Use the UAE Overtime Calculator

Enter your basic monthly salary, select the type of overtime worked, add the number of overtime hours, and click calculate. The tool applies the correct UAE overtime rate based on normal working hours, night overtime, rest days, public holidays, and Ramadan rules. It uses basic salary only, since housing, transport, and food allowances are excluded from overtime calculations under UAE Labour Law.

What Is Overtime Under UAE Labour Law?

Overtime is any work done beyond the standard working hours set by Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021. Under Article 17, normal working hours are 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week for private-sector employees, as confirmed on the official UAE Government portal. Any work beyond this is overtime and must be paid at a higher rate.

This law came into effect on 2 February 2022 and covers most MOHRE-regulated private-sector employees across all seven emirates. Overtime calculation in UAE as per labour law follows a consistent formula regardless of sector, though certain categories are excluded (covered below).

What Counts as Regular Working Hours

• Employees generally must not work more than five consecutive hours without a break of at least one hour. Breaks are not counted as working hours.
• Certain sectors and work arrangements have specific working-hour rules under the Executive Regulations. If your normal daily hours differ from 8, check your employment contract before using the standard formula.
• During Ramadan, normal working hours are reduced by two hours per day. For an employee whose normal schedule is 8 hours, that means a 6-hour working day.

UAE Overtime Calculation Examples

Normal Day Overtime

Basic salary: AED 6,000 | 3 hours of normal overtime

• Daily wage: 6,000 ÷ 30 = AED 200.00
• Hourly rate: 200 ÷ 8 = AED 25.00
• OT pay: 25.00 × 1.25 × 3 = AED 93.75

Night Shift Overtime (10 PM – 4 AM)

Same salary, 2 hours of night overtime:

25.00 × 1.50 × 2 = AED 75.00

Night overtime between 10 PM and 4 AM normally carries a 50% premium. Workers employed under a shift system are excluded from this specific night-overtime provision under Article 19(3).

Weekly Rest Day Overtime

Basic salary: AED 8,000 | 6 hours worked on the weekly rest day

• Daily wage: 8,000 ÷ 30 = AED 266.67
• Hourly rate: 266.67 ÷ 8 = AED 33.33
• OT pay: 33.33 × 1.50 × 6 = AED 300.00

Overtime on Basic Salary or Gross Salary?

Is overtime calculated on basic salary in UAE, or gross? Statutory overtime premiums under Article 19 are calculated using the worker’s basic wage, rather than allowances. This is one of the most common points of confusion in overtime pay calculation in UAE.

Salary Component	Monthly Amount (AED)
Basic Salary	5,000
Housing Allowance	2,000
Transport Allowance	500
Gross Salary Total	7,500

• Correct hourly rate (basic): 5,000 ÷ 30 ÷ 8 = AED 20.83
• Wrong calculation (gross): 7,500 ÷ 30 ÷ 8 = AED 31.25

That AED 10.42 per hour difference is a real compliance risk for companies running regular overtime. The same basic-salary-only rule applies when calculating end-of-service gratuity.

How Overtime Works on Your Weekly Rest Day

Every employee covered by the weekly-rest provisions has a designated weekly rest day, specified in the employment contract or internal work regulations. It may be Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or another day depending on the company’s schedule.

Under Article 19(4), if you work on your weekly rest day, your employer must give you either:

• A substitute rest day on another day, or
• Your normal wage for that day plus an additional 50% (150% total)

Public Holiday Overtime Calculation in the UAE

Holiday overtime calculation in UAE follows a different rule from ordinary overtime, it’s covered under Article 28, not Article 19. UAE public holidays include National Day, New Year, Eid Al Fitr, Eid Al Adha, Islamic New Year, and others. Under Article 28 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, public holiday work must be compensated with either a substitute rest day or the normal day’s wage plus an additional amount of at least 50% of the basic wage.

Example: Basic salary AED 6,000, 5 hours worked on a public holiday, no substitute day given:

• Hourly rate: 6,000 ÷ 30 ÷ 8 = AED 25.00
• Holiday pay: 25.00 × 1.50 × 5 = AED 187.50

What Is the Maximum Overtime Per Day in UAE?

Under Article 19(1), employers can generally only ask for a maximum of 2 extra hours per day. The Executive Regulations also provide that total working hours must not exceed 144 hours over any three-week period.

Serious emergencies, overtime may exceed the normal two-hour daily limit when work is necessary to prevent a serious loss or accident, or to reduce its effects, but the 144-hour/three-week cap still applies, and the employer must properly document the reason.

Ramadan Overtime Calculation in the UAE

During Ramadan, normal working hours are reduced by two hours daily for all private-sector employees, Muslim and non-Muslim alike. For an employee whose normal schedule is 8 hours, that means overtime begins after 6 hours instead of 8. The divisor in the formula stays at 8; only the point where overtime begins changes.

Example: Basic salary AED 8,000, 8 hours worked on a Ramadan day (limit is 6, so 2 hours are overtime):

• Hourly rate: 8,000 ÷ 30 ÷ 8 = AED 33.33
• Ramadan OT (1.25x): 33.33 × 1.25 × 2 = AED 83.33

If those 2 hours fall between 10 PM and 4 AM, use 1.50x instead: 33.33 × 1.50 × 2 = AED 100.00

Who Is Eligible for Overtime Pay?

Most private-sector employees registered under MOHRE qualify, including fixed-term contract staff and employees during probation, overtime entitlement applies from day one.

Who Is Exempt From Overtime?

Under Article 20 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, certain categories are excluded from the working-hours provisions, with the specific categories set out in the Executive Regulations (Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022, Article 15(4)):

• Chairpersons and members of boards of directors
• Employees in supervisory positions who hold genuine employer-level authority
• Maritime ship crews and workers at sea with special service conditions
• Employees in continuous successive-shift technical work, provided average hours don’t exceed 56 hours per week

The exemption is based on actual job function and authority, not job title. A “Manager” doing regular operational work alongside their team may still be entitled to overtime.

Part-Time Employees and Extra Hours

Part-time employees have different rules because their agreed working hours are set out in their employment contract. Generally, an employer cannot require a part-time worker to exceed those agreed hours without the worker’s written consent. Compensation for additional hours depends on the specific contract, so the standard full-time overtime formula shouldn’t automatically be applied.

Common Overtime Calculation Mistakes in UAE

1. Using gross salary instead of basic salary a compliance violation regardless of the result.
2. Using the wrong divisor the law uses 30 days per calendar month, not 365/12.
3. Confusing public-holiday compensation with the standard overtime multiplier, public holiday work is governed by Article 28, not Article 19. The employer must provide either a substitute rest day or the normal day’s wage plus at least 50% of the basic wage.
4. Missing the Ramadan threshold change overtime starts after 6 hours during Ramadan, not 8.
5. Exceeding 2 hours per day without documentation.
6. Misapplying the management exemption to employees who don’t hold genuine decision-making authority.

UAE Overtime Pay Per Hour by Basic Salary

Monthly Basic Salary (AED)	Base Hourly Rate	Normal OT 1.25x	Night/Rest Day 1.50x
3,000	12.50	15.62	18.75
5,000	20.83	26.04	31.25
6,000	25.00	31.25	37.50
8,000	33.33	41.67	50.00
10,000	41.67	52.08	62.50
12,000	50.00	62.50	75.00
15,000	62.50	78.12	93.75
20,000	83.33	104.17	125.00

How to Calculate UAE Overtime in Excel

Need to calculate overtime in Excel? Use these formulas:

Cell	What to Enter
A1	Basic Monthly Salary
B1	Normal OT hours
B2	Night OT hours
B3	Weekly rest day OT hours
B4	Public holiday OT hours (no substitute day)

• Normal OT (C1): =(A1/30/8)*1.25*B1
• Night OT (C2): =(A1/30/8)*1.50*B2
• Rest Day OT (C3): =(A1/30/8)*1.50*B3
• Public Holiday Work, no substitute day (C4): =(A1/30/8)*1.50*B4
• Total (D1): =SUM(C1:C4)

If a substitute day is provided instead of pay, the cash calculation doesn’t apply, the compensation is an alternative, not an addition.

Can an Employee Refuse Overtime?

Employers may ask an employee to work overtime, subject to the statutory limits under Article 19, including the general 2-hour daily cap. Whether an employee can decline a specific request can depend on the employment contract and the circumstances, particularly in a genuine emergency where declining could be treated as misconduct. Once overtime hours are worked, payment at the applicable rate is a legal obligation, and non-payment is reportable to MOHRE.

What If Your Employer Doesn’t Pay Overtime?

You can file a complaint with MOHRE through:

• MOHRE official portal
• MOHRE Call Centre and WhatsApp: 600590000
• MOHRE email: ask@mohre.gov.ae
• Labour Claims Advisory Centre: 80084

MOHRE typically attempts mediation first. If the matter isn’t resolved through that process, it may be referred to the relevant labour dispute authority depending on the circumstances.

Special Overtime Situations

Abu Dhabi private-sector employees follow the exact same federal rules as Dubai and other emirates, apart from ADGM and government-sector employees, there’s no separate Abu Dhabi overtime law.

Domestic workers are not covered by this law; they fall under Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022, with separate rest-day and compensation rules.

DIFC and ADGM employees follow their own free zone employment regulations rather than these federal rates.

Conclusion

UAE overtime law under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 is specific and actively enforced by MOHRE. Whether you are an employee checking if your payslip is correct or an HR manager running payroll across Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the formula is not open to interpretation.

Three things to remember:

1. Always use basic salary only, never gross, for every OT calculation
2. Always divide by 30 (not 365/12) for the daily rate, as stated in Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021
3. Public holiday work without a comp day off is 2.50x, not 1.50x. This is one of the most common underpayment errors in UAE payroll

Use this UAE overtime rules calculator to instantly estimate your overtime pay based on your basic salary, working hours, and UAE Labour Law overtime rates. Whether you work in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, or another emirate, the calculation method remains the same for MOHRE-regulated private sector employees.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is overtime calculated in UAE labor law?

Overtime calculation in UAE follows the formula: Basic Salary ÷ 30 ÷ 8 × Overtime Hours × Rate, with the applicable rate depending on when the hours were worked, 125% for normal daytime hours, 150% for night, rest day, or public holiday hours.

How is overtime calculated in UAE law?

Overtime in UAE is calculated using this formula: Basic Salary / 30 / 8 x Overtime Hours x Rate. The rate is 1.25 for normal daytime overtime (between 4 AM and 10 PM) and 1.50 for night overtime (between 10 PM and 4 AM), weekly rest days, and public holidays where a comp day off is also given. For public holidays where no comp day off is given, the effective rate is 2.50. This is set under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021.

How much is 1 hour of overtime in UAE?

One hour of normal daytime overtime = (Basic Monthly Salary / 30 / 8) x 1.25. For an employee on AED 6,000 basic salary: 6,000 / 30 / 8 = AED 25.00 base hourly rate. Normal OT = 25.00 x 1.25 = AED 31.25 per hour. Night or rest day overtime = 25.00 x 1.50 = AED 37.50 per hour.

How to calculate 1.5 times overtime in UAE?

To calculate 1.5x overtime: find the base hourly rate using (Basic Salary / 30 / 8), then multiply by 1.5 and then by the number of overtime hours. For example, on AED 8,000 basic salary: 8,000 / 30 / 8 = AED 33.33 per hour. At 1.5x, night or rest day rate = AED 50.00 per hour.

How accurate is the UAE overtime rules calculator? 

The UAE overtime rules calculator provides an estimate based on the standard overtime formula under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021. It uses basic salary, overtime hours, and the correct UAE overtime multiplier. Final payroll amounts may vary depending on employment contracts, company policies, and specific legal situations.

What is the OT formula in UAE?

The UAE OT formula is: Basic Salary / 30 / 8 x OT Hours x 1.25 for normal daytime overtime, or x 1.50 for night hours, rest days, and public holidays with a comp day off, or x 2.50 for public holidays with no comp day off. Only basic salary is used. Housing allowance, transport allowance, and all other benefits are excluded. This is confirmed in Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021.

Is overtime in UAE calculated on basic or gross salary?

Overtime in UAE is calculated on basic salary only, not gross salary. Housing, transport, and food allowances are all excluded. Using gross salary in the overtime formula is a compliance error under UAE Labour Law.

What is the public holiday overtime rate in UAE when no day off is given?

When an employee works on a public holiday and the employer does not give a compensatory day off, the employee must receive 150% extra on top of their normal day pay. The effective total is 2.50 times the normal hourly rate. This is stated in Article 81 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021.

What happens if an employer does not pay overtime in UAE?

The employee can file a complaint with MOHRE through mohre.gov.ae, WhatsApp 600590000, or the MOHRE app. MOHRE will first attempt mediation. If unresolved, the case goes to the Labour Court. Employers found in violation face financial penalties and in repeated cases a ban on hiring new workers.

Can an employer ask employees to work more than 2 hours of overtime per day?

Under normal circumstances, no. UAE Labour Law caps overtime at 2 hours per day under Article 19. The only exception is a genuine force majeure emergency. That exception must be documented. Regularly asking employees to work beyond 2 hours per day without documentation is a direct violation.

Does overtime apply during the probation period in UAE?

Yes. Overtime entitlement applies from the first day of employment, including during probation. The probation period only affects notice period requirements and does not remove the right to overtime pay.

How is overtime calculated for part time employees in UAE?

Part time employees are generally not automatically entitled to overtime pay under Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 unless their employment contract explicitly includes overtime terms. Additional hours are typically compensated at the rates agreed in the contract.

How do I compute overtime pay in UAE?

To compute overtime pay in UAE, use the standard MOHRE formula: Basic Salary / 30 / 8 x Overtime Hours x Rate. The rate depends on when the overtime is worked, 1.25x for normal daytime hours, 1.50x for night, rest days, or public holidays with comp leave, and 2.50x for public holidays without comp leave.