Midday break rule will be enforced from June 15

VIOLATING COMPANIES WILL BE FINED, OR DEGRADED AND POSSIBLY EVEN TEMPORARILY STOPPED FROM OPERATING

The rule prevents any work under direct sunlight between 12.30pm and 3pm for three months.

Amandatory midday break for labourers during the summer months will start from June 15 and end on September 16, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation announced yesterday.

The rule that is being enforced by the ministry for the 13th year prevents any work under direct sunlight between 12.30 and 3pm for three months.

Violating companies will be fined Dh5,000 per worker and a maximum of Dh50,000 if the case involves a large number of workers. A company can be degraded and possibly even temporarily stopped from operating.

Saqr Gobash Saeed Gobash, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, declared the decree based on general safety and health procedures, which the UAE upholds, to prevent any sort of work-related injuries.

Two shifts

Working hours will be divided into two shifts, morning and evening, with a total of eight hours daily, Gobash said. Compensation must be provided to workers who are required to do overtime.

“If business conditions require additional working hours, then that period is considered overtime, workers shall be paid for a wage equal to the normal working hours plus an increase of not less than 25 per cent of that wage. The increase shall be at least 50 per cent of the worker’s wage if called for duty between 9pm and 4am.”

The ruling also requires employers to post a clear schedule to inform workers of the daily working hours during the midday break period, and to provide them shelter during the resting periods.

Health kits

Employers are urged to regularly provide all necessary health kits to protect workers exposed to hazards and dangerous tools in addition to following safety instructions and distributing awareness leaflets to both employees and labourers to promote the awareness.

In cases where continuous work is required, employers must provide workers with cold water and other items recommended by the country’s health authorities such as salt and lemon. They must also provide first aid, air-conditioners, sunshades and cold water.

Works exempted from the midday break rule include situations when it is impossible to implement or supplement the necessary work in one day, work done to prevent expected danger, or repairs to rectify damage or malfunction or loss, and also emergency work.

This includes work to fix water supply, sewerage, electricity, or public roads, in addition to fixing damaged gas or petroleum pipelines.