This year's midday break for outdoor workers during summer begins on June 15 and runs until September 15, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has announced.
The break, introduced in 2004, prohibits working under direct sunlight and in open spaces between 12.30pm and 3pm.
The annual initiative, officially known as the Occupational Heat Stress Prevention Policy, gives employees respite from the noon heat during the hottest months of the year.
Companies will be fined Dh5,000 ($1,360) for each time a worker breaches the ban, with a maximum penalty of Dh50,000 if several breaches are recorded.
The announcement came as the temperature in the UAE begins to crank up as we enter summer.
The nation is experiencing hotter weather after a cooler spring, which was marked by unsettled conditions. Temperatures have regularly passed the 40°C mark in recent weeks.
According to astronomical calculations, the first day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere is to be marked on June 21.
