UAE announces four and a half day working week starting January next year

The United Arab Emirates has announced that it will implement a four-and-a-half day work week from January 1, with Friday (a holy day in Islam) being a half-day, and Saturday and Sunday, forming the new weekend. The UAE and the rest of the Gulf countries currently work from Sunday to Thursday.

The United Arab Emirates government tweeted from its official handle, "All Federal government departments will move to the new weekend from January 1, 2022."

While the new guidelines were issued for government employees, there were no instructions for the private sector.

From 1 January 2022, all federal government departments will switch to the new weekend, including Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Monday through Thursday, the workforce will be required to go to work for eight hours, with Friday being a half-day.

Employees in UAE to work 8 hours on weekdays & 4.5 hours on Fridays

As the UAE moves to a four and a half day work week, employees are required to report to work at 7.30 am. Employees have to work for eight hours on weekdays and four and a half hours on Fridays. Accordingly, from Monday to Thursday, working hours would be 7:30 am to 3:30 pm, and on Friday it would be from 7:30 am to 12:00 pm.

The employees will be provided with opportunities for flexible working hours and work-from-home on Fridays. Throughout the year, Friday sermons and prayers will now be held at 1.15 p.m. According to the UAE Government Media Office, the new long weekend would "increase productivity and improve work-life balance."

(Image: AP)