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28 March 2024

Free Zones have to follow Ramadan timings

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By Staff

Reduced working hours during Ramadan also applies to free zone companies as per the UAE labour law, according to a senior ministry official.

'Gulf News' quoted Maher Al Obaid, Assistant Undersecretary for inspection affairs as saying that workers must either benefit from a work day shorter by two hours, or companies will have to pay employees overtime.
 
"The regulation applies to all workers, regardless of religion, and also extends to employees working in the free zone," he added.

There have been reports of some free zone firms violating the MoL rules.  Few employees in airline companies said staff had been asked to maintain regular hours with many not receiving overtime pay.

Similarly various shop attendants also complained about employers requiring them to work more than nine hours a day.

"In Ramadan, companies can only ask workers to come in for two hours extra, making the workday no longer than nine hours," Al Obaid said and added that firms have to document the payment of overtime.

Meanwhile, workers had the right to file complaints against their companies if they felt their rights under UAE labour law were being violated.

"If an employee does not want his identity to be revealed, he or she can call up the MoL hotline and register what is known as a secret complaint," Al Obaid said.

When 10 or more people register a complaint against a company, however, personal details will be revealed to employers, and an inspection team will be deployed by the MoL to investigate, Al Obaid added.