Eid Al Fitr in UAE: 10-day break for govt employees as Sharjah announces holiday

By Staff Reporter

Sharjah’s government has announced a one-week holiday for its public sector employees. Since Friday is part of the weekend in the emirate, the Eid Al Fitr holiday begins today for these residents.

For federal government employees, the public holidays will be from Monday, April 8, until Sunday, April 14. Regular working hours would then resume on Monday, April 15.

This comes after the UAE government’s announcement, setting in place a one-week holiday for its public sector employees earlier this week.

Since Friday, Saturday and Sunday are the official weekend days in Sharjah for federal employees, government workers who normally observe a four-day work-week are granted a 10-day break to celebrate Eid Al Fitr, marking the end of the month-long fasting period.

Irrespective of the moon sighting, the holiday will officially begin on April 8. As per the Islamic calendar, Ramadan lasts 29 or 30 days, depending on when the Moon is sighted. Eid Al Fitr is celebrated on the first of Shawwal, the month after Ramadan.

As the end of the holy month of Ramadan approaches, excitement mounts in the UAE as residents gear up to celebrate the longest public holiday of the year.