UAE announces 4.5-day workweek; Saturday-Sunday weekend
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- Published: December 7, 2021 17:36
New Delhi: The United Arab Emirates on Tuesday announced that government entities will adopt a new working-week schedule that will consist of four and half days. This will change the weekend from Friday to Saturday from Friday to Sunday.
UAE media office tweeted, #UAE announces today that it will transition to a four and a half-day working week, with Friday afternoon, Saturday, and Sunday forming the new weekend. All Federal government departments will move to the new weekend from January 1, 2022.
#UAE announces today that it will transition to a four and a half day working week, with Friday afternoon, Saturday and Sunday forming the new weekend.
All Federal government departments will move to the new weekend from January 1, 2022. pic.twitter.com/tQoa22pai9
— UAEGOV (@UAEmediaoffice) December 7, 2021
The official news agency WAM reported that ‘UAE is the first country to implement a national working week shorter than the five-day week of the whole world. With this, the UAE will now become the only Gulf country to have a Saturday-Sunday weekend. In Muslim countries, the weekend begins with the afternoon prayer time on Friday. The extended weekend is part of the UAE government’s efforts to improve work-life balance and promote social well-being.
The Government employees will be allowed to choose between “flexible work or work-from-home options” on Fridays. However, Friday prayers will be held at 1:15 pm.
In Muslim countries, Friday is considered as the holiest day of the week.