Eid Al Adha 2026 UAE: Dates, Payroll & Leave Rules for Employers

The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) and the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR) have officially confirmed the Eid Al Adha 2026 public holiday dates for the private and government sectors, respectively. Your organization is legally required to provide staff with four paid days off, starting Tuesday, May 26, through Friday, May 29.

For companies operating on a standard Monday to Friday workweek, this creates a continuous six day break when combined with the following weekend. For HR and operations teams, managing an extended public holiday requires immediate attention to shift scheduling, payroll timelines, and leave request management.

TL;DR: The 10 Second HR Summary

• The Dates:
  Private sector employees receive four paid public holidays from Tuesday, 26 May to Friday, 29 May.

• The Gap Day:
  Monday, 25 May remains a regular working day for the private sector. Prepare for a high volume of annual leave requests for this specific date. For federal government employees, Monday too has been declared a holiday, effectively making it a 9-day leave for them (weekends on either side combined).
  

• Compliance Requirement:
  Should businesses require staff to work during the holiday, UAE Labour Law provides you 2 options: a) provide a substitute rest day or b) provide basic daily wage plus a 50 percent premium. Choosing 1 of the 2 is mandatory.
  

• Action Item:
  Adjust your May payroll and WPS processing timelines to account for bank closures during the holiday week.

Here is the operational breakdown and compliance guide to help your HR team prepare for the upcoming holiday.

The Official Eid Al Adha 2026 Schedule

The private sector holiday schedule differs slightly from the public sector timeline this year. HR departments should align their internal communications with the following dates:

Managing the "Monday Gap" Leave Requests

Federal government employees received Monday, 25 May, as an additional public holiday, resulting in a nine-day break. Private sector employees are required to work on this day. Because of this discrepancy, HR managers should prepare for a surge in annual leave requests for Monday, 25 May.

MoHRE Compliance for Private Sector Employers

Managing staff entitlements during public holidays is strictly governed by Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 (the UAE Labour Law). Employers must adhere to the following regulations to maintain compliance:

• Leave Balance Protection:
  Public holidays are a statutory right. You cannot deduct these four days from an employee's accrued annual leave balance.

• Compensation for Working on a Holiday:
  If business requirements dictate that an employee must work on Arafah Day or during the three days of Eid, the company is legally obligated to compensate them. The employer must provide a substitute rest day or pay the employee their basic daily wage plus a minimum 50 percent premium. Offering neither is a direct violation of UAE Labour Law.

• Free Zone Jurisdictions:
  While free zones like DIFC, ADGM, JAFZA, DAFZA, and RAKEZ generally align with MoHRE announcements, they operate under their own legal frameworks and issue independent circulars. HR teams in free zones must verify the exact dates with their respective authorities.

HR Action Checklist: What to Do Before 26 May

Payroll

1. Initiate WPS (Wage Protection System) transfers by Friday, 22 May, as banks operate on reduced hours from 26–29 May, and delayed submissions risk salary non-compliance

2. Flag employees scheduled to work on public holiday days. Calculate the 50% premium in advance to avoid payroll disputes in the next billing cycle

3. Ensure your payroll system correctly marks 26–29 May as non-working days so overtime and attendance calculations aren't skewed

4. Confirm payroll cut-off dates with your bank if your pay cycle falls within the holiday window

Leave Management

1. Process pending annual leave requests for Monday, 25 May, before the week ends, as volume will be high

2. Remind employees that public holidays are not deducted from annual leave

3. Check for employees who have already taken leave overlapping with the holiday, and clarify how those days are treated in your system

4. Update your HRIS to block 26–29 May as public holidays if not already configured

Workforce Planning

1. Identify roles requiring holiday coverage (operations, support, security, client-facing teams)

2. Confirm shift arrangements and document consent. Verbal agreements are not sufficient

3. Issue written confirmation to employees working over the holiday, stating compensation or substitute day off

4. For free zone employees (DIFC, JAFZA, DAFZA, etc), verify the relevant authority's circular independently

Admin & Compliance

1. Review employee visas, Emirates IDs, and labour cards expiring during the holiday week - government service centres will be closed from 26–29 May, and lapses can trigger system fines

2. Complete any pending government transactions or document renewals before Thursday, 21 May

3. Send a company-wide holiday notice confirming dates, work resumption, and any office- specific arrangements

4. Remind employees of emergency contact procedures during the break

If an Employee Is Asked to Work

In case you are asking any employee to work during the specified leaves, you have 2 options:

Option A: Grant a substitute day off at a mutually agreed time. Option B: Pay the employee their regular daily wage plus a minimum 50% premium on top of their basic wage for every public holiday day worked.

The choice between A and B is yours - but one of them is mandatory. If neither is offered, the employee has the right to file a formal complaint with MoHRE at mohre.gov.ae or by calling 800 60, and you may face a labour inspection.

Document everything. A written notice of holiday work, the agreed compensation, and employee acknowledgement protects both parties.

The MoHRE circular does not automatically apply to free zone companies. DIFC, ADGM, JAFZA, DAFZA, and other authorities issue their own holiday notifications which typically mirror MoHRE but are separate legal instruments.

Confirm the applicable circular for your zone before communicating dates to employees.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Eid Al Adha 2026 in the UAE?

Eid Al Adha 2026 is on May 27 this year. Eid Al Adha falls on the 10th day of Dhul Hijjah, the last month of the lunar calendar followed in Islam. As the Dhul Hijjah crescent moon was sighted in the UAE on the evening of May 17 (confirmed by the UAE Moon Sighting Committee and the UAE Council for Fatwa), Eid Al Adha is all set for May 27 this year.

How many public holiday days does the private sector receive?

MoHRE has confirmed four paid days off for the private sector: 26 May through 29 May.

Is there a difference between public and private sector holidays for Eid Al Adha 2026?

Yes. The public sector received five days off (25 May to 29 May). The private sector received four days off (26 May to 29 May).

What are the legal requirements if an employee works during Eid?

Under UAE Labour Law, employers must provide either a compensatory day off or the regular daily wage plus a 50 percent supplement.

When do regular business hours resume?

All private sector offices must resume normal operations on Monday, 1 June 2026.

Summary

Official References: MoHRE official circular (18 May 2026) | FAHR announcement | UAE Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024 | UAE Labour Law (Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021)

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