🛑 UAE Midday Work Ban 2025: What It Means for Workers and Employers

🌞 What Is the Midday Work Ban?

Every year, the UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) enforces a Midday Work Ban to protect workers from heat-related illnesses. This ban prohibits outdoor work from 12:30 PM to 3:00 PM, starting June 15 and lasting until September 15.

Introduced in 2004, the rule is one of the UAE’s most robust health and labor safety measures, aligned with international human rights and climate adaptation goals.

📅 Key Dates for 2025

Start Date: June 15, 2025
End Date: September 15, 2025
Daily Ban Hours: 12:30 PM to 3:00 PM
Applicable Areas: All emirates of the UAE
Target Sector: Outdoor labor across construction, delivery, cleaning, agriculture, etc.

⚠️ Penalties for Non-Compliance

The MoHRE conducts surprise inspections during the ban period.

If a company violates the ban:

Fine: AED 5,000 per worker Maximum
Penalty: Up to AED 50,000 for multiple violations
Possible Suspension: Company license may be suspended in repeated or severe breaches

📢 MoHRE has an anonymous reporting feature via hotline and app.

Visit MoHRE Official Website ➜

👷 Who Is Exempt?

While the ban covers most outdoor work, critical sectors are granted exceptions under strict conditions:

Emergency and disaster recovery teams
Utility repair workers (electricity, water, gas)
Oil and gas industry operations
Certain transport and logistics sectors

🧾 Exempt employers must provide shaded rest areas, water, and electrolytes.

🧊 What Employers Must Do

Provide shaded rest areas
Ensure hydration and first aid access
Schedule high-effort tasks outside banned hours
Educate workers about heatstroke and first-aid
Log all work schedules during the period

📱 Tech for Compliance

Many UAE firms now use smart scheduling apps and wearable heat-monitoring devices to:

Detect heat stress risks
Reassign tasks in real time
Send midday alerts to managers and workers

📈 This innovation aligns with the UAE’s Vision 2031 for a tech-forward and humane labor market.

🗣️ Why This Matters

The UAE Midday Work Ban is more than just a policy — it’s a commitment to human dignity, climate resilience, and sustainable labor practices. As the region faces rising temperatures, these rules become crucial not only for survival but for long-term economic and ethical progress.