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UAE Overtime Pay Calculator

Based on Articles 17–19, 28 and 67 of UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 and Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022. Last reviewed: 2026-09-23.

A

Wage Basis

Overtime is calculated on the basic wage only; allowances are excluded (Article 19).

B

Hours Worked

Enter the overtime hours and public-holiday days worked for the month. Leave a field empty for none.

This free calculator estimates the statutory minimum overtime pay for private-sector employees in the UAE under Article 19 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021. Enter your monthly basic salary and your overtime hours to see the derived hourly basic rate and the pay for each category (ordinary overtime, night overtime and work on the weekly rest day) and, under Article 28, public holidays worked and paid rather than swapped for another day off. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent anywhere.

The Statutory Overtime Rates

Ordinary overtime: for hours worked beyond normal working hours, Article 19(2) grants the wage of a normal working hour, calculated on the basic wage, plus an increase of not less than 25%, a minimum multiplier of 1.25× on the basic hourly rate.

Night overtime: for overtime between 10 pm and 4 am, Article 19(3) raises the increase to not less than 50% of the basic-wage hourly rate, a minimum of 1.5×. The same clause excludes workers on shift patterns, whose night hours remain ordinary overtime at 1.25×.

The weekly rest day: under Article 19(4), a worker required to work on the rest day is either compensated with a substitute rest day or paid the wage of that day plus an increase of not less than 50% of the basic wage; the choice is the employer’s.

Official public holidays: Article 28(1) makes each public holiday a day off with full pay, so the monthly salary already pays for it. A worker required to work on one is, under Article 28(2), compensated with another day off for each day worked, or paid the wage for that day plus an increase of not less than 50% of the basic wage for that day, the same formula as for the rest day. Paid, that is 1.5 × the daily basic wage (monthly basic ÷ 30) on top of the salary; the calculator shows the day’s wage at basic, although the law sets it at “the wage established for the normal working days”, which can be higher where allowances are paid. A holiday compensated with a substitute day off earns nothing extra.

All four percentages are floors, not fixed prices: the law writes each as "not less than", so a contract or company policy may pay more, never less.

How the Hourly Basic Rate Is Derived

Overtime is calculated on the basic wage, the salary figure that excludes housing, transport and other allowances (Article 19(2) and the wage definitions of the Decree-Law).

Article 67 fixes the reckoning: for every calculation under the law, the month represents 30 days. The daily basic wage is therefore the monthly basic salary divided by 30.

Article 17(1) sets the normal working day at a maximum of 8 hours (48 per week), so the hourly basic rate is the daily figure divided by the normal daily hours; on a standard schedule that is monthly basic ÷ 30 ÷ 8. During Ramadan, Article 15(2) of Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022 reduces normal hours by two, which is why the calculator lets you set the daily hours.

Neither instrument prints "÷ 30 ÷ 8" as a single sentence; the quotient is the composition of the three provisions above, each of which contributes one factor. That composition is also how the official UAE Government Portal describes overtime remuneration.

How Much Overtime Is Allowed

Article 19(1) caps overtime at 2 hours per day. Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022, Article 15(3), allows more only where work is necessary to prevent a serious loss or a serious accident, or to eliminate or mitigate its effects.

In all cases total working hours may not exceed 144 hours in any three-week period (Article 19(1)).

A worker may not be required to work on the weekly rest day more than twice consecutively, except for day workers (Article 19(5)).

This calculator flags hour totals that imply exceeding the daily cap across a 30-day month, but still computes the pay: the law restricts the hours themselves, not the worker’s right to be paid for them.

UAE Overtime Calculation Examples

Worked examples using a monthly basic salary of AED 10,000 and an 8-hour day (an hourly basic rate of 10,000 ÷ 30 ÷ 8 = AED 41.67):

10 ordinary overtime hours

10 h × AED 41.67 × 1.25

≈ AED 520.83 overtime pay

4 night hours (10 pm–4 am)

4 h × AED 41.67 × 1.5

= AED 250.00 overtime pay

6 hours on the weekly rest day, paid rather than swapped

6 h × AED 41.67 × 1.5

= AED 375.00 overtime pay

2 public holidays worked, paid rather than swapped (daily basic 10,000 ÷ 30 = AED 333.33)

2 d × AED 333.33 × 1 + 2 d × AED 333.33 × 0.5

= AED 666.67 day’s wage + AED 333.33 supplement = AED 1,000.00

Frequently Asked Questions

How is overtime calculated in the UAE?

Overtime is paid at the basic-wage rate of a normal working hour plus at least 25% (Article 19(2) of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021). The hourly basic rate follows from the law’s own reckoning: monthly basic salary ÷ 30 days (Article 67) ÷ normal daily hours (Article 17).

What is the overtime rate for night work?

Overtime between 10 pm and 4 am earns the basic hourly rate plus at least 50% under Article 19(3). Workers on shift patterns are excluded from this uplift; their night hours are paid as ordinary overtime at +25%.

Is overtime calculated on basic or gross salary?

On the basic wage. Article 19 prices overtime from the wage "calculated according to the basic wage", which excludes housing, transport and other allowances.

How many overtime hours are allowed per day in the UAE?

Two hours per day under Article 19(1), unless the work is necessary to prevent a serious loss or accident (Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022, Article 15). Total working hours may not exceed 144 in any three weeks.

What am I owed for working on my weekly rest day?

Under Article 19(4) the employer must either grant a substitute rest day or pay the wage of that day plus at least 50% of the basic wage for that day. A worker may not be required to work more than two consecutive rest days (Article 19(5)).

What am I owed for working on a UAE public holiday?

Your monthly salary already pays the holiday itself (Article 28(1)). If you are required to work on it, Article 28(2) obliges the employer either to give you another day off for each holiday worked (in which case nothing extra is due), or to pay you the wage for that day plus at least 50% of the basic wage for that day, on top of the salary. On a basic salary of AED 10,000 that is at least AED 500 per holiday worked (333.33 + 166.67).

Do shift workers get night overtime pay?

The 50% night uplift of Article 19(3) expressly does not apply to workers working on shifts. Their hours beyond normal working time are still overtime under Article 19(2), paid at the basic hourly rate plus at least 25%.

Sources Used

Based on Articles 17–19, 28 and 67 of UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 and Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022. Last reviewed: 2026-09-23.

Disclaimer

* This calculation is an estimate of the statutory minimum — the law sets each uplift as "not less than" the stated percentage, and a contract may pay more. Based on UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 and Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022. Last reviewed: 2026-09-23. This is not legal advice; for official guidance, contact MOHRE. The employment contract, the law that actually applies (the DIFC and ADGM free zones have their own employment laws) and any decision of MOHRE or a court prevail over this estimate — verify with MOHRE or a qualified adviser.