NEWS
United Arab Emirates Changing Weekend Days in 2022
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The United Arab Emirates is switching things up in 2022 by changing its weekend days to Saturday and Sunday.
Currently, the UAE recognizes the weekend as Friday to Saturday, but, according to The Week, this will change from Friday afternoon to Sunday beginning January 1.
The switch comes as the United Arab Emirates hopes to “improve work-life balance” and align more efficiently with global markets.
“From an economic perspective, the new working week will better align the UAE with global markets, reflecting the country’s strategic status on the global economic map,” the UAE government said in a statement reported by The Week. “It will ensure smooth financial, trade, and economic transactions with countries that follow a Saturday/Sunday weekend, facilitating stronger international business links and opportunities for thousands of UAE-based and multinational companies.”
According to The Week, the weekend will begin on Friday afternoon so that Muslims can attend prayers. It will also give workers the opportunity to work from home on Friday mornings.
