The UAE government has announced adjusted working hours for federal employees during Ramadan, allowing shorter workdays. From Monday to Thursday, employees will work from 9:00 AM to 2:30 PM, while on Fridays, the workday will be from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. This means government employees will have three and a half hours off on weekdays and one and a half hours off on Fridays. These changes align with the UAE’s four-and-a-half-day workweek, where regular working hours outside Ramadan are from 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM on weekdays and until noon on Fridays.
The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR) has clarified that employees with specific job requirements may have different schedules. Additionally, ministries and federal government offices can continue their work-from-home policies, allowing up to 70% of employees to work remotely on Fridays while ensuring compliance with daily working hour limits. The official weekend for federal and government sectors remains Saturday and Sunday.
According to the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD) in Dubai, Ramadan is expected to start on March 1, pending moon sighting confirmation on February 28 (Shaban 29). Since the Islamic calendar follows lunar cycles, Ramadan will last for either 29 or 30 days, depending on when the crescent moon is observed.
