By Rory Jones www.thenational.ae
Dubai retailers face a soaring wage bill during the 24-hour Eid Al Ahda shopping festival as employment lawyers warn staff working overtime must be paid up to 50 per cent more per hour.
Hiring retail staff in the UAE is a long process, making it difficult for stores to take on temporary staff during Eid. In many cases employers must ask staff to work longer hours at higher rates, dramatically affecting wage bills.
“In accordance with the provisions of the UAE Labour Law, any hours worked in excess of the normal working hours should be paid at overtime rates, said Rebecca Ford, a partner at Clyde & Co law firm. “This means that retailers requesting their staff to work overtime during the Eid shopping period will be faced with a higher wage bill.”
For three consecutive weekends over the Eid period, beginning on Thursday, stores are expected to open in malls from 10am on a Thursday and stay open until 1am the following Sunday. Such a long period of consecutive working hours is a first for the UAE. More info
