UAE to implement ‘Noon Work Ban’ starting June 15: Ministry

The United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Human Resources & Emiratization will implement the “Noon Work Ban” decision for outdoor jobs carried out under sunlight, between 12:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., starting June 15 until September 15, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported Wednesday.

The ministry stressed the importance of the “Noon Work Ban” for preserving workers’ health and occupational safety, adding that COVID-19 precautionary measures must be implemented during the period to limit the spread of the virus.

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Under the new decision, daily working hours, for morning or evening shifts, must not exceed eight hours.

The ministry praised the strategic partnership with the private sector in “implementing the work ban and achieving its goals, as well as the active societal role in monitoring its implementation, which reflects the human values prevailing in the Emirati society,” according to WAM.

The decision includes implementing preventive measures and controls aimed at protecting workers from exposure to direct sunlight.

It also obligates employers to provide appropriate preventive means to protect workers from the dangers of injuries that may result from the use of machines and other work tools and to follow all other prevention methods prescribed in the UAE Labor Law, the statement by the ministry added.

Every facility that does not comply with the terms and conditions of the decision will be penalized with a fine of 5,000 dirhams for each worker and a maximum of 50,000 dirhams in the case of multiple workers being employed during the ban period, WAM reported.

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