HR experts and legal professionals say approvals will depend on private-sector company policies, staffing needs and operational requirements
As UAE residents prepare for the Eid Al Adha holidays, many private sector employees are hoping to take Monday off to turn the official six-day break into a nine-day holiday.
Private sector workers are set to be off from Tuesday, May 26, to Sunday, May 31, while public sector employees will enjoy a longer nine-day break from Saturday, May 23, to Sunday, May 31, as Monday, May 25, has been included as an official Eid holiday for government staff.
For many workers, the extra leave means more time to travel, rest or be with family. However, HR experts and legal professionals say approvals will depend on private-sector company policies, staffing needs and operational requirements, especially in fields such as healthcare, aviation, hospitality and logistics, where services must continue through the holiday period.
Balancing leave with business needs
According to Sowmyya Shetty, Global HR Business Partner with a leading Dutch marine services company in the UAE, employees can request extra leave to extend the public holiday, but approvals are never automatic.
“In the UAE private sector, employees can request additional time off to extend a public holiday, but approval is always at the employer’s discretion and based on business requirements and internal policy. Any absence without approval is treated as unauthorised.”
She explained that companies typically weigh staffing coverage, workload peaks and fairness across teams before approving leave during major holidays.
“In multinational organisations operating across both global and local contexts, this becomes more structured. I have worked in such environments where it was standard practice to ensure business coverage during Eid in the UAE/GCC since it isn’t a holiday in many other countries.”
She added that businesses often rely on staggered approvals and coordinated handovers to maintain smooth operations across time zones.
What UAE labour law says
Adv. P. A. Hakkim Ottapalam, Founder & CEO of Adv. Hakkim & Associates, said UAE Labour Law allows employees to request leave, but employers retain the authority to decide based on operational requirements.
“Under the UAE Labour Law, private sector employees have the right to request paid or unpaid leave when a Monday falls between a public holiday and the weekend. However, the law also grants employers the authority to decide leave arrangements based on the nature of the work, operational requirements, emergency situations, company policies, and employee availability.”
He noted that employees should also review the conditions outlined in their labour contracts and workplace responsibilities before making leave plans.
“A significant number of private sector employees work in essential service sectors such as hospitals, airports, hotels, food delivery, transportation, media, hypermarkets, malls, waste management, energy, and other emergency-related services where uninterrupted operations are necessary.”
According to Ottapalam, if companies approve Monday as additional leave, employees in Dubai could enjoy up to nine consecutive days off, while some workers in Sharjah may receive up to 10 days due to the emirate’s weekend structure.
Employees planning family time
For many UAE residents, the possibility of a longer Eid break is less about travel abroad and more about spending quality time with family.
Syed Abbas, who works for a real estate developer in the UAE, said the break comes at an important time for his family after his wife and children recently moved from Pakistan.
“I’ve just been confirmed in my role, and my wife and children have recently arrived from Pakistan. I haven’t taken any time off in the last six months, so this felt like the right opportunity to pause and spend time with them.”
He said he plans to take his family around the UAE as they settle into their new life here.
“In our workplace, there’s a good balance — some colleagues from other faiths will be working on Monday, just as a few Muslim colleagues will also be on duty. We’re quite accommodating like that. My boss has also been very understanding, which I really appreciate.”
Similarly, Maria Navarro, a Filipino marketing executive based in Dubai, said she hopes to use the additional day off to fully disconnect from work while also spending quality time with her family and helping her daughter with schoolwork.
“I’m using this opportunity to switch off properly and spend time with my children and husband at home. My daughter is in grade 9, and I need to sit down with her studies and do some catch-up lessons with her too. Taking Monday off means I can stretch the Eid break into a full nine days, which really helps with household chores, rest and local travel plans.”
