Whether you are scheduling work projects, planning leave for your workforce, or simply looking forward to a long weekend, public holidays play an important role for employers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Back in April 2024, the UAE issued a Cabinet Decision (Cabinet Decision No. 27/2024 on Official Holidays in the State), which came into force on January 1, 2025 and sets out the applicable public holidays in the UAE.
Shifting Sands of Labor Law
YOUR SOURCE FOR MIDDLE EAST HR AND EMPLOYMENT LAW UPDATES
Ramadan is anticipated to start on February 19, 2026, subject to the sighting of the new crescent moon. It is the ninth month in the Islamic lunar calendar and a period of fasting, worship, and spiritual development.
Our latest Navigating Employment Law in the Middle East webinar—Part 1 of the UAE edition—kicked off the fourth installment of this multipart series. The session focused on the UAE private sector employment framework—excluding the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) and Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)—and explored what employers need to know about the law, Emiratization, employment contracts, onboarding, and Golden Visa considerations.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Ministry) is rolling out a new enforceable version of the standard form employment contract issued via the Ministry’s Qiwa portal. The roll out integrates the wages clause contained in the Qiwa contract with the Ministry of Justice’s legal services portal, Najiz, enabling an employee to directly enforce the payment terms without having to initiate a claim through the Labour Courts.
The Abu Dhabi Court of Cassation has ruled that an employer must compensate a former employee for 13 years of unused annual leave, departing from the two-year limit typically applied by lower courts.