Should Dubai clerk be paid for extra hours at work?

I am a clerk at a Dubai company and I work long hours because my boss tells me that I have to. A friend says I should be paid for my extra hours but my boss says that he does not need to pay me if there is work to be done. Can I be paid for working 10 hours each day? MJ, Dubai

According to the UAE Labour Law, article 65: “The maximum number of ordinary working hours for adult workers shall be eight hours per day, or forty-eight hours per week. The number of hours may be increased to nine hours per day for people employed in trade, hotels, cafeterias, security and other jobs whose addition may be made by virtue of a decision from the Minister of Labour.” Article 67 then states: “Should the work circumstances require the carrying out by the worker of a work for more than the ordinary working hours, the additional period shall be deemed an overtime, for which the worker shall be paid a wage equivalent to the ordinary hourly wage with an addition of at least 25 per cent of the said wage.” If however, the overtime takes place between the hours of 9pm and 4am, the increase in the hourly rate is 50 per cent.

The amount of overtime that can be carried out is clarified in Article 69: “Effective overtime working hours may not exceed two hours per day, unless such work is necessary for the prevention of the occurrence of a colossal loss, a serious accident or the removal or mitigation of the consequences thereof”. It must also be borne in mind that per Article 72, supervisory and management staff are not eligible for any overtime payments.

Keren Bobker is an independent financial adviser and senior partner with Holborn Assets in Dubai, with over 20 years’ experience. Contact her at keren@holbornassets.com. Follow her on Twitter at @FinancialUAE.

The advice provided in our columns does not constitute legal advice and is provided for information only.

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