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29 March 2024

'Reduced work hours for non-Muslims also'

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By Staff

 

The Ministry of Labour in the UAE said that reduced work hours during Ramadan are for all regardless of their religion and warned companies not to violate the law by forcing non-Muslim employees to work normal eight hours, media report said on Friday.

On Wednesday, the Ministry of Labour issued a circular reducing working hours for private sector to six from eight during the holy month of Ramadan – which is expected to begin on August 1.

Quoting the Ministry of Labour, Gulf News reported on Friday that asking non-Muslims employees to work normal eight hours is the violation of the Article 65 of Federal Law Number 8 of year 1980.

A number of international companies had asked their non-Muslim employees to work normal eight hours during Ramadan.

Dr. Gassan Al Mushrif of Al Mushrif Advocates told the newspaper that regardless the faith of the employee and whether he/she is fasting or not, the law stipulates that the employee’s working hours shall not exceed six during Ramadan. And it applies to all workers in the private sector without discrimination. But if a firm insists on employee working normal eight hours, then it has to pay overtime for the additional working hours.

“This is a serious violation against the labour law, and companies that break this law will be slapped with administrative punishments, just like companies who break the mid-day work bank during summer months,” Mohammad Ebrahim Al Shaiba of Al Shaiba Advocates was quoted as saying by the daily.