Weekday overtime at 125%
The first 2 hours of overtime on a working day pay 125% of the base wage per hour. Cap enforced automatically; further work requires manager approval and is flagged for MOHRE compliance.
UAE labour law
Overtime that computes itself under Federal Decree-Law 33/2021
Weekday overtime pays 125%, night and rest days 150%, public holidays 250%. Daily overtime capped at 2 hours, weekly working time not exceeding 60 hours. Timesync encodes these rules once, applies them per employee per shift automatically.
- 125% / 150% / 250% rates applied automatically
- 2-hour daily cap, 60-hour weekly cap enforced
- Violations flagged before payroll
- Ramadan reduced hours per employee
Why manual overtime calculation is a compliance risk
Under Federal Decree-Law 33/2021, overtime rules are strict and multiplicative: the rate depends on the day type (weekday, rest day, public holiday), the time of day (day, night), and the employee's contract. Manual calculation via spreadsheet is where errors compound: one missed rate multiplier turns into an underpayment claim; one missed daily cap turns into a MOHRE inspection finding. Automated overtime removes the class of errors entirely.
How Timesync encodes UAE overtime rules
Set once at go-live, applied per employee per shift forever.
Night-shift and rest-day overtime at 150%
Between 9pm and 4am, or on the employee's weekly rest day, overtime pays 150% of the base wage. Applied automatically based on shift start-end and rest-day configuration.
Public-holiday overtime at 250%
UAE public holidays pay 250% (100% holiday wage + 150% overtime on top). Public-holiday calendar built in; no manual roster editing each year.
Daily cap of 2 overtime hours
If a shift would exceed 2 hours overtime, the additional time requires explicit manager approval; the approval is logged for MOHRE inspection. Otherwise the shift ends automatically.
Weekly cap of 60 total working hours
The system tracks regular + overtime hours per week; if a punch would push the employee over 60 hours, the punch is rejected. Configurable per employee where the contract allows.
Ramadan reduced hours per employee
During Ramadan, Muslim employees work 2 fewer hours per day (from 8 to 6). Overtime calculation uses the correct base per employee; no HR intervention required.
Who needs automated overtime tracking
Construction and site-based operators
Shift patterns vary; overtime is routine. Automated caps prevent underpayment claims and MOHRE findings.
Hospitality and F&B
Split shifts, night operations, public-holiday high-demand. Rate multipliers apply correctly per shift automatically.
Manufacturing and warehousing
Three-shift patterns with 24/7 operations. Night-shift 150% and rest-day 150% rates applied automatically.
Healthcare (hospitals, clinics)
24/7 rota, night shift, public-holiday demand. Overtime for clinical staff calculated at the correct rate per shift type.
Facilities and cleaning contractors
Multi-site staff on split shifts. Weekly-cap tracking prevents over-deployment across client sites.
Multi-branch retail
Different branches on different trading hours. Overtime rules apply per branch pattern; consolidated at head office.
Related pages
WPS-compliant attendance
Overtime rolls into WPS SIF.
MOHRE-compliant attendance
Inspection-ready overtime records.
Construction-site attendance
Site overtime capped automatically.
Multi-branch attendance
Overtime rules per branch.
Time attendance software
Full shift-rule engine.
Payroll integration
Overtime flows to your payroll.
Overtime and UAE labour law questions
What are the current overtime rates under Federal Decree-Law 33/2021?
Weekday overtime: 125% of base wage per hour. Night (9pm to 4am) and rest-day overtime: 150%. Public holidays: 250% total (100% holiday wage plus 150% overtime). Ramadan reduces daily hours by 2 for Muslim employees.
What is the daily overtime cap?
Maximum 2 hours overtime per day. If a shift would exceed this, the additional time requires explicit manager approval, which is logged for MOHRE inspection.
What is the weekly working-hours cap?
Total working hours (regular + overtime) not exceeding 60 hours per week. If a punch would push an employee over this, the punch is rejected. Configurable per employee where the contract allows.
How does the system handle public holidays?
UAE public holidays are built into the calendar; the 250% rate applies automatically to any punch on a holiday. Timesync updates the calendar annually as the government publishes it.
Can we set different overtime rules per employee (senior vs contract)?
Yes. Overtime rules are configurable per employee category. Senior management may be exempt from overtime pay; hourly staff receive full multipliers; contract workers on specific terms have their own rules.
What if an employee refuses overtime?
Overtime is not compulsory except in defined operational emergencies (safety, service continuity). Timesync records refusals and the shift ends automatically. HR and MOHRE-inspection records both remain compliant.
Book an overtime-rules review
We audit your current overtime calculation against Federal Decree-Law 33/2021 and hand you a gap report.
Request your free quote
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