UAE announces January 1 as holiday for public sector employees

The UAE has announced that Thursday, January 1, 2026, will be a public holiday for federal employees to celebrate New Year’s Day, while Friday, January 2, will be a remote work day for staff whose roles do not require on site presence.The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources has officially announced that New Year’s Day in 2026 will be observed as a holiday for the federal government. The break is scheduled for Thursday, January 1, 2026, giving employees a full day off to mark the beginning of the new year.

In addition to the holiday, the authority has confirmed that Friday, January 2, 2026, will operate as a remote work day for federal government staff. This applies to all employees whose duties allow them to work from home, offering an added layer of flexibility as the long weekend continues. Only those whose require physical presence at their workplace will be exempt from the remote arrangement and will report on site as usual.