The UAE government has introduced five new work types for federal government employees, including a compressed four-day workweek, all subject to employer approval starting from July 1, 2023.
To qualify for the four-day workweek, full-time employees must work 40 hours a week, no more than 10 hours per day, and have their employer’s agreement.
Read more: The future of remote work in the UAE
Last year, the UAE government introduced a four-and-a-half-day workweek, working half-day on Fridays, with flexible Friday hours and work-from-home options.
Sharjah implemented a four-day workweek back in January 2022, with Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off.
Private companies in the UAE are not obligated to follow government hours, but the Minister of Human Resources and Emiratization has encouraged them to do so in light of the previous changes.
While the Federal Authority for Human Resources denied any changes to the working hours, stating that “the executive regulations of the Human Resources Law pertain to the introduction of new employment schedules and types of work,” reports said the five different work types for federal government employees are on-site work, remote work within the country, remote work from outside the country, intensive working hours (compressed four-day workweek), and hybrid work.
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