Four hours of work, grace period and more; Gulf nations with new rule ahead of Ramadan

KUWAIT CITY: Gulf countries have introduced several concessions for employees during the month of Ramadan. The working hours for government employees in Kuwait have been cut short. As per the new order, a government employee will only have to work for four hours a day.

In 2023, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) evaluated the performance of the employees and now taking cue from the report, the working hours have been reduced. Apart from this, government employees have been allowed complete freedom to select their preferred working hours and shifts.

For women, the working hours will be four hours while for men it will be four hours and 15 minutes. Not only this, Kuwait has also announced a grace period. Two grace periods are allowed for women employees and one grace period for men. The grace period refers to the time after a new shift begins, in which a late employee will not face any penalty. A typical grace period is seven minutes. The grace period for women employees is 15 minutes each at the start and end of work.

But male employees have a grace period of 15 minutes only when they arrive for work. Salah Khalid Al Saqabi, Assistant Under Secretary for Finance, said that those who are on leave will also get bonuses in Ramadan. Employees are also allowed to take an hour off from work during Ramadan.

Other places in the UAE also offer some concessions during the month of Ramadan. Private companies in the UAE have reduced working hours by two hours during Ramadan. Working hours will also be reduced for non-Muslim employees. Most restaurants close during the day and open after the evening prayer.

Supermarkets and grocery stores will be open as usual. Malls will continue to function even during late night hours.