Sharjah's public sector will adopt a four-day working week and a three-day weekend - giving employees an extra half day off than the rest of the country.
Sharjah's Executive Council announced the decision on Thursday. It will come into effect on January 1, 2022.
Employees will work from 7.30am to 3.30pm, which is 60 to 90 minutes longer than they do at present.
The decision follows the federal government's landmark shift to a Saturday-Sunday weekend, with a half day of work on Friday. The UAE's labour minister said the private sector will receive no official instruction to make the change, and can do so at their own discretion.
It makes Sharjah's government sector the first in the Gulf and Middle East to fully adopt a four-day working week. Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah's local governments have all committed to a 4.5 day working week.
Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, announced the move after instructions from the Ruler of Sharjah.
Schools throughout the country are already braced for the new Monday to Friday working week, with schools expected to open with a new timetable on Monday, January 3. There is an extra national holiday on Sunday, January 2, 2022.
'More quality family time'
Sheikha Tariq, an Emirati public sector employee, told The National she and her colleagues were elated by the news.
She said it was clear that more work will have to be got through during the working week in return for the extra time off.
“This will not only give us more time to spend with our families in a way that will boost the emirate’s efforts of preserving the family unit, but will also encourage employees to perform better at work,” she said.
“It's a great decision in terms of more family bonding, religious commitment and increased productivity."
Abdul Jaleel Al Bloushi, who works for a government HR department in the town of Kalba, said employees would need to show they could make a four-day week work.
"You see by the working hours, you will notice they have been extended. And now employees including myself have an incentive to do better performance," he said.
He said many will appreciate the chance to be "more present in the lives of our children and families".
School situation not yet clear
Although it would appear likely that schools could fall in line with government work hours, headteachers said it was too soon to say whether pupils would attend classes on Fridays or not.
The country's public schools, largely attended by Emiratis, are overseen by a federal authority, while Sharjah's private schools are regulated by a local education authority.
Ibraheem Barakeh, director of the Al Shola group of private schools, said there were many factors to consider.
"We haven’t received anything official related to this decision, in terms of the shape of the school week," he said.
"We are eagerly waiting for details in order to be able to coordinate not only the new school week but also what’s connected to it, such as school holidays, final exams in each of the terms.
"We expect all of these factors were taken into consideration before the decision was taken."
Sharjah's ancient Egypt exhibition dazzles visitors - in pictures
Stats at a glance:
Cost: 1.05 billion pounds (Dh 4.8 billion)
Number in service: 6
Complement 191 (space for up to 285)
Top speed: over 32 knots
Range: Over 7,000 nautical miles
Length 152.4 m
Displacement: 8,700 tonnes
Beam: 21.2 m
Draught: 7.4 m
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
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Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
The%20specs
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Results
6.30pm: Baniyas (PA) Group 2 Dh195,000 1,400m | Winner: ES Ajeeb, Sam Hitchcock (jockey), Ibrahim Aseel (trainer)
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 1,400m | Winner: Al Shamkhah, Royston Ffrench, Sandeep Jadhav
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 1,200m | Winner: Lavaspin, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
8.15pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 1,200m | Winner: Kawasir, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi
8.50pm: Rated Conditions (TB) Dh240,000 1,600m | Winner: Cosmo Charlie, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
9.20pm: Handicap (TB) Dh165,000 1,400m | Winner: Bochart, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
10pm: Handicap (TB) Dh175,000 2,000m | Winner: Quartier Francais, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
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The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: seven-speed auto
Power: 420 bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: from Dh293,200
On sale: now