Is Travelling or Commuting Time Included in Working Hours?

As per a decree issued recently by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), the time spent in traffic due to heavy rains, dense fog or other extreme weather conditions which ends up in late to work, such delays in commute would be considered within working hours.

Subject to the provisions of Article (17) of the decree law: the travel time between an employee’s residence and office will be counted within the working hours only in the following cases:

1. The time spent travelling between residence and workplace in case of bad weather and in response to the warnings made by the National Centre of Meteorology. For example, rains, sandstorms, floods, etc.
2. The time spent by the employee in company-provided transport during traffic accidents or emergency car breakdown.
3. If both parties (employee and employer) agree to include transit time in the working hours – this reaffirms the principle that the parties are free to contract on their terms of engagement.