If an employee is required to put in more than eight hours of work every day, the additional time will be counted as overtime, and the employee will be entitled to additional payment for their effort 2023
The United Arab Emirates has stated that beginning on June 15 2023 and continuing until 15 September 2023, people would not be allowed to work outside or in direct sunlight between the hours of 12:30 and 3 p.m. each day.
During the months that the prohibition is in effect, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has said that the maximum number of hours that workers can put in each day is eight. In the event that an employee is required to put in more than eight hours of work in a single day, the additional time worked will be counted as overtime, and the employee will be eligible for additional payment.
Workers are entitled to a noon rest period, during which their employers are obligated to offer a shady location in which they can relax.
Fines
Employers who are found to be in violation of the laws and regulations of the prohibition will be subject to a fine of Dh5,000 per worker that they employ in contravention of the ban. When several personnel are forced to work during the prohibited hours, the highest amount of the penalties that can be imposed is Dh50,000.
Members of the community are strongly encouraged to report infractions using either the MoHRE app or the number 600590000.
Exemptions
Because certain occupations need continuous work, employees in those positions are exempt from the midday work prohibition. These are the following:
>> Tasks such as laying asphalt or pouring concrete, which cannot be delayed until after the break since it is physically impossible to do so.
>> Work that needs to be done to contain dangers or repair damages that affect the community, such as interruptions to the water supply or the electrical supply, cutting off traffic, and other severe difficulties.
>> Work that, due to its potential influence on the flow of traffic and services, must first obtain a permit from the appropriate government authority before it can be carried out. Work must be done non-stop to complete these duties, which may involve severing or rerouting major transportation routes, electricity lines, and communication lines.
When it comes to jobs that are exempt from this rule, the employer is not required to provide workers with sufficient amounts of cool drinking water. The provisions of hydrating food, such as salts and/or other food items that have been granted permission for use by the local authorities in the UAE, should be made in order to maintain the standards for public health and safety. They are also required to provide first aid at the location of the work, a suitable amount of industrial cooling, umbrellas that give protection from direct sunshine, and shaded locations for employees to rest in during their breaks.
Putting the well-being of workers first
"The health and safety of workers is the cornerstone of legislation governing the labour market," said Mohsen Al Nassi, assistant undersecretary for Inspection Affairs at the Ministry of Health and Rural Affairs. The midday work break, which is being implemented for the nineteenth year in a row, is in keeping with the highest professional and humane standards aimed to protect workers from the potential danger of injury caused by high temperatures during the summer, especially around noon. This break is being implemented to protect workers from the potential risk of injury caused by high temperatures.
"The decision to ban employment at midday is a significant milestone for the labour market, and it is an intrinsic aspect of work environment legislation in the UAE as well as of our community culture... "During the summer months, the ministry's partners and other individuals launch a variety of initiatives to provide workers with supplies that protect them from exposure, heat exhaustion, and sunstroke," he added.
The ministry has reported "impressive compliance rates" throughout the course of the past few years.
