UAE ministry announces private sector holiday for Prophet’s birthday

The UAE’s Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has announced that Sunday, November 18 will be a paid public holiday for private sector workers.

Private sector workers will get the day off instead of Tuesday, November 20, which is expected to mark Mawlid Al Nabi – the anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday, the ministry confirmed in a tweet.

تقرر أن يكون يوم الثامن عشر من شهر نوفمبر الجاري عطلة رسمية مدفوعة الأجر لجميع العاملين في منشآت ومؤسسات وشركات القطاع الخاص في الدولة بمناسبة #المولد_النبوي_الشريف. pic.twitter.com/V4Bd8YAHYs

— MOHRE_UAE (@MOHRE_UAE) November 6, 2018

This will mean a three-day weekend with work resuming on Monday, November 19.

The UAE Cabinet already confirmed government workers would receive the same day off.

Read: UAE announces public sector holiday for Prophet’s birthday

“The announcement was made by Nasser bin Thani Al Hamli, minister of human resources and Emiratisation, following the UAE Cabinet decision to mark Sunday as a public holiday, instead of Tuesday, 20th November, which is expected to mark Mawlid Al Nabi – the anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday,” WAM said.

UAE law allows the government to shift national holidays to the closest weekend to avoid disruption.