UAE Grants Federal Employees Flexible Work Hours on the First Day of School

The United Arab Emirates has introduced a thoughtful policy allowing federal government employees greater flexibility on the first day of the academic year.

The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR) announced that parents will be permitted to adjust their work schedules by up to three hours—either arriving late or leaving early—to manage school drop-offs and pick-ups.

This initiative is part of the government’s effort to support work-life balance and ensure a smooth return to school for families across the nation. The policy is designed to accommodate diverse curricula and varying school start dates by providing flexibility according to each ministry’s existing workplace systems, with approval from the employee’s manager.

For parents of nursery and kindergarten children, flexibility extends beyond the first day: they are granted the same three-hour allowance per day throughout the entire first week of the academic year, giving families a buffer period to adjust to new routines.

Beyond the start-of-year period, the policy also provides up to three hours of flexible work time for school-related events like parent-teacher meetings, graduation ceremonies, or other involvement in their child’s education, whenever needed during the school year.

This annual “Back to School” policy, approved by the UAE Cabinet and in place since 2018, is part of a larger framework aimed at enhancing employee well-being without disrupting operational efficiency.