Online Overtime Calculator UAE(MoHRE Updated 2026)
Calculate your Overtime quickly and accurately as per latest UAE Labour Law.
Enter details and click Calculate
Your result will appear here
- What is Overtime Calculator UAE?
- How to Use the Overtime Calculator UAE
- How to Calculate Overtime in the UAE
- Standard UAE Working Hours as per Labour Law
- Types of Overtime in UAE Labour Law
- Force Majeure Overtime
- Structural Overtime
- Overtime Pay Rate
- Eligible Criteria for Overtime Pay in the UAE
- Overtime Calculation on a Normal Working Day
- Overtime Calculation on a Public Holiday
- Common Mistakes to Avoid When Calculating Overtime in the UAE
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
Overtime is any extra hours an employee works beyond the normal limit set by UAE Labour Law. The law says normal working time is 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week, as written in Article 17 of the Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021. When an employee works more than this, it becomes overtime and the employer must pay extra money for those hours.
The main purpose of these overtime rules is to give fair compensation for the extra efforts of employees and to stop employers from overworking the workforce. Extra time spent on work activities in the workplace must be paid at a higher rate. Some jobs are different – for example, people in trade, hotels, or cafeteria security can have normal hours up to 9 hours per day. After the set limit, it still counts as overtime and gets overtime payment. The law started in 2021 and has had some updates since then, but the basic rules stay the same to protect individuals.
What is a Overtime Calculator UAE?
An Overtime Calculator UAE is a simple tool that helps employers and employees find out exactly how much overtime pay someone should get. Instead of doing hard calculations by hand or trying to remember formulas, this tool uses the UAE Labour Law rules in the background and gives clear figures right away. It makes sure everything follows the correct labour rules and compliance.
The Overtime Calculator UAE works only on the basic salary, not the full salary, . It takes the extra hours worked beyond the normal 8-hour day or 48-hour week and applies the right rate multipliers usually 125% for regular overtime and 150% for some special cases to find the correct overtime pay or payment. This helps avoid mistakes and keeps overtime fair for everyone in the UAE.
How to Use the Overtime Calculator UAE?
Step 1: Enter Basic Salary
Add your basic monthly salary in AED. Overtime in the UAE is usually calculated based on the basic salary without allowances.
Step 2: Enter Overtime Hours
Input the total extra hours you worked beyond your normal working hours.
Step 3: Select Overtime Type
Select the type of overtime you're calculating — whether it's a normal working day, night overtime, or public holiday overtime.
Step 4: Calculate Overtime Pay
Click the calculate button, and the tool will instantly show your estimated overtime payment.
How to Calculate Overtime in the UAE?
Under the UAE Labour Law, overtime is always calculated using the basic salary, not the full salary.
The standard formula is: basic salary × 12 / 365 / 8 × overtime hours × 1.25 = overtime pay.
For example, if an employee has a basic salary of AED 8,000 and works 2 overtime hours, the employer can use this calculation to find the correct pay. The maximum overtime allowed is 2 hours per day beyond the normal 8-hour workday or 48-hour week.
For night shifts between 10 PM – 4 AM, or on weekends and public holidays, the rate goes up to 1.5 (or 150%). In a simple example, if the hourly rate from basic salary is AED 25 and the employee works 4 overtime hours during the day, overtime pay = AED 25 × 1.25 × 4 = AED 125. The same 4 hours at night would be AED 25 × 1.5 × 4 = AED 150. Using an overtime calculator UAE helps avoid rounding errors and gives clear, correct results every time for both employee and employer in all cases.
Watch this YouTube video how to calculate Overtime in UAE.
Standard UAE Working Hours as per Labour Law
Under the Labour Law the standard working hours in the private sector are a maximum of 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week for employees. Employers can spread this as 6 days × 8 hours or sometimes 5 days × 9.6 hours to meet the weekly limit. For some jobs in sectors like trade, hotels, cafeterias, and security (including cafeteria security), daily hours can go up to 9 hours per day, but the weekly average over 3 weeks must not go over 48 hours. Shift workers and night shift workers (where most work is between 9 PM – 4 AM) follow the same total limits, though they often get shift allowances; any extra hours still count as overtime.
Employees must not work more than 5 consecutive hours without a 1-hour break total this covers meal breaks, prayer breaks, rest periods, or lunch break, and none of these count toward the 8 hours per day. During Ramadan, companies reduce hours to 6 hours per day (or 36 hours per week) for all employees, no matter their religion, so overtime starts after 6 hours. This change helps everyone during the holy month, and break time rules stay the same to keep work safe and fair.
Types of Overtime in UAE Labour Law
In the UAE, the UAE Labour Law divides overtime into two main types:
Force Majeure Overtime
Force Majeure Overtime is for sudden emergencies, urgent repairs, or unexpected situations that may cause damage or loss and require immediate action. It includes emergency tasks that help prevent serious problems.
Because of its urgent nature, there is no maximum limit or fixed number of working hours under UAE Labour Law. It does not follow normal working rules.
Structural Overtime
Structural Overtime covers extra work arising from regular company operations, such as work peaks, busy periods, increased business activity, or higher workload demands.
This type relates to normal business conditions and daily operations. UAE Labour Law applies limits on working hours to ensure fairness and reasonable workload for employees.
Overtime Pay Rate
In the UAE, overtime pay for private-sector employees follows strict rules under the UAE Labour Law. Normal overtime during the day pays 125% of the hourly rate from the basic salary (this means base pay plus 25% extra, or 1.25x total). This applies when employees work beyond the standard 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week.
For night overtime between 10 PM – 4 AM, or work on rest days and public holidays, the rate increases to 150% (1.5x total, or base plus 50% extra). On rest days or public holidays, the employer can give a compensatory day off instead of extra pay, but if no day off is given, 1.5x pay is required. The maximum overtime limit is usually 2 hours per day. Some exemptions exist for managerial roles, supervisory roles, or technical roles with high responsibility, where overtime pay may not apply.
Eligible Criteria for Overtime Pay in the UAE
Most employees in the private sector qualify for overtime pay or overtime compensation under the UAE Labour Law when they work extra hours beyond the standard limits (8 hours per day or 48 hours per week). This applies to many sectors such as construction, hospitality, retail, and healthcare, including shift workers and regular workers whose employment contract follows normal overtime rules.
Exemptions exist for certain job roles and categories. Managerial roles, supervisory roles, senior managers, administrative supervisors, executive roles, strategic roles, and professionals with high responsibilities, decision-making power, or control over their schedules usually do not get overtime pay. Special industries like marine industries or continuous operations (e.g., factory staff) may have different rules. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) provides guidance on these exemptions, which must be clearly stated in the employment contract and job description to avoid disputes during inspections.
Overtime Calculation on a Normal Working Day
Here are the main rules and calculation for overtime on a public holiday in the UAE under Article 81 of UAE Labor Law:
- Basic rule: Work on a public holiday gives compensatory rest day + 50% bonus on basic pay, or 150% pay if no day off is given.
- Short formula: Overtime pay = Basic Salary × 12 / 365 / 8 × hours worked × 1.5 multiplier (This includes the 50% bonus + normal hours pay)
- If no compensatory rest day: Use 2.5 multiplier instead: Overtime pay = Basic Salary × 12 / 365 / 8 × hours worked × 2.5 (This gives full 150% bonus pay)
- Real example (AED 3,200 basic salary, 8 hours on public holiday):
- With day off: ≈ AED 157 (pay) + 1 day off
- Without day off: ≈ AED 263 (pay)
Always use basic salary only (no allowances) for the calculation.
If you are employed in the UAE, try our free Gratuity Calculator to instantly calculate your end-of-service benefits.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Calculating Overtime in the UAE
Here are the most common mistakes people make when calculating overtime pay in the UAE under UAE Labour Regulations:
Using gross salary instead of basic salary
Overtime must be based only on basic salary. Do not include allowances like transport allowance or housing allowance in the basic hourly rate or overtime formula. This is the biggest and most frequent error.
Misclassifying exempt employees
Not all employees get overtime pay. Exempt employees in management roles or certain high-level positions do not qualify. Just because someone has a fixed salary does not mean they are exempt – always check the job role correctly.
Forgetting the night shift multiplier
Work during night shift (9 PM to 4 AM) requires 50% extra pay (1.5 overtime rate). Many people use the normal 1.25 overtime rate by mistake and pay less than required.
Skipping overtime pay on rest days or public holidays
Work on a rest day or public holiday must get 1.5 overtime rate or a compensatory day off. Ignoring this rule creates legal risk and disputes.
Not keeping proper documentation and approval
Without good records, approval, and documentation of overtime hours, it becomes hard to prove hours worked. This often leads to compliance issues and problems during checks.
Avoid these mistakes to make sure overtime calculation is correct and fair for both employee and employer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Overtime is applicable in the UAE when an employee works more than 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week. It also applies when work is done on public holidays, rest days, or during night shifts. In such cases, overtime pay is calculated at higher rates under UAE Labour Law.
The UAE Labour Law caps overtime at 2 hours per day maximum. Total daily work (normal + overtime) cannot exceed 10 hours, and weekly hours must stay reasonable.
Overtime is always calculated using the basic salary only (not including allowances, bonuses, or housing). This is the rule under UAE Labour Law for fair pay.
During Ramadan, normal working hours drop to 6 hours per day for all employees. Overtime starts after 6 hours, and any extra time gets paid at the normal overtime rates.
Managers, supervisory roles, and some senior positions are not entitled to overtime pay if their job does not have fixed hours. Domestic workers and certain free zone rules may also exclude overtime.
Use an overtime calculator whenever an employee works extra hours to get accurate overtime pay quickly. It prevents mistakes in rounding and ensures full compliance with UAE rules.
Correct overtime calculation helps employers follow the UAE Labour Law, avoid penalties, and keep employees happy. Wrong calculations can cause disputes, fines, or complaints to MoHRE.
Yes, overtime can be compensated with time off instead of cash, but only if both the employee and employer agree in writing. The time off must be at the same rate (125% or 150%) as cash payment.
If an employer does not pay overtime pay, it is a violation of the UAE Labour Law. The employee can file a complaint with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE), which may lead to fines or forced payment.
The UAE Labour Law limits overtime to a maximum of 2 hours per day. You cannot work more than 10 hours in total (normal + overtime) on any day.
Conclusion
Overtime rules in the UAE Labour Law exist to balance work demands with `employee well-being, ensuring fair pay and reasonable limits on extra hours. By correctly applying the basic salary-based formulas, multipliers (125% or 150%), and special conditions like night shifts or public holidays, both employers and workers can avoid disputes and stay fully compliant. Understanding exemptions, documentation needs, and common calculation pitfalls helps prevent costly mistakes and builds trust in the workplace. Ultimately, these regulations promote a healthier, more equitable work environment for everyone in the UAE private sector.
For more detail visit home page