UAE announces Ramadan working hours for private sector

The UAE government has announced shorter working hours for the private sector during the month of Ramadan, state news agency WAM reported.

According to a circular issued by Saqr bin Ghobash Saeed Ghobash, minister of labour, working hours will be reduced by two hours during the holy month with no reduction in salaries for private sector workers.

The government also revealed the work timings of public sector employees earlier this week.

Federal government and ministry employees will work from 9am to 2pm, according to a resolution issued on Sunday by Hussain Ibn Ibrahim Al Hammadi, chairman of the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources.

The UAE has also appointed a moon sighting committee to confirm the starting date of Ramadan.

Astronomical calculations made by the Sharjah Planetarium have predicted that Ramadan is likely to begin from Thursday, June 18.

Scholars have also predicted longer fasting hours as the holy month falls during summer this year.

“The daylight hours at the beginning of the month of Ramadan will be 13 hours and 45 minutes while the fasting period will be as long as 15 hours and 15 minutes,” said Ibrahim Al Jarwan, general supervisor at the planetarium.

“Towards the end of the holy month of Ramadan, daylight hours will be 13 hours and 35 minutes, and the fasting period will be 15 hours and five minutes,” he said.

Al Jarwan said that Eid al-Fitr is most likely fall on Friday July 17.