UAE Holidays: 5-day Eid Al Adha break likely for private sector

A number of expatriates in the UAE spend holidays in their home countries during festivals.

They generally look forward to holidays that coincide with weekends in order to enjoy a longer stay with their families and friends back home. And each year, a big chunk of holidays are contributed by the two festivals – Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha.

This year, the two Eids will contribute five out of 11 holidays.

Though private sector employees in the UAE missed out on two holidays for Eid Al Fitr as it coincided with the weekend this month, they can expect longer holidays for Eid Al Adha in September.

The UAE private sector generally gets three-day paid leave for Eid Al Adha from 9th of Dhu Al Hijjah to 11th of Dhu Al Hijjah.

According to astronomical forecasts for 2015, the 9th of Dhu Al Hijjah (Arafat or Hajj Day) will be Tuesday, September 22. So the private sector employees can expect Eid holidays from Tuesday until Thursday.

This when coupled with two-day weekend, the private sector can expect 5 days of holidays - from September 22-26.

However, the Islamic holidays are based on moon sighting.

The UAE private sector employees have a total of 11 paid holidays, with eight of them in the second half of the year.

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