If you are a UAE-based employee whose regular weekend falls on Friday and Saturday, you might be wondering if you are entitled to a substitute day off when a public holiday happens to land on your scheduled day of rest. According to the UAE’s Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, while employees are entitled to paid leave on official public holidays, the law does not strictly mandate a substitute day off if the holiday coincides with an existing weekly rest day. Unless your employer specifically requires you to work on that public holiday, there is no legal obligation for them to provide an additional day of leave in compensation.

However, it is worth noting that internal company policies can often offer more generous benefits than the standard labor law requirements. Under Article 65 of the Employment Law, employers are permitted to implement programs that are more beneficial to their staff than the minimum statutory benchmarks. If your workplace values employee well-being, it is certainly within your rights to request a substitute day off for the overlapping holiday. While your company isn't legally forced to grant this, they do have the flexibility to adopt policies that favor their employees, making it a matter of internal negotiation rather than a legal entitlement.