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The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources issued guidelines allowing federal employees to modify arrival and departure times as the 2026-2027 academic year begins across the UAE. Employees with children in primary school and above can request up to three hours of flexibility on their child’s first day to accompany them to or from school or home. The authority specified that such adjustments require direct manager approval and must align with procedures at each federal entity while accounting for varying school start dates by curriculum.
Parents of children in nurseries or kindergartens receive the same three-hour flexibility window but can apply it across the full first week of term. The authority noted that this provision supports families during the initial adjustment phase for younger pupils. Implementation remains subject to operational requirements to avoid disruption in public services.
Federal staff may also take up to three hours to attend school-related events including parent-teacher meetings, graduation ceremonies and special activities. The National reported that these absences must not affect work performance or breach federal human resources laws. The authority’s circular applies uniformly to all ministries and federal entities nationwide.
The back-to-school policy forms part of a flexible working framework that the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources introduced in 2018 to promote work-life balance. Khaleej Times indicated that comparable arrangements have operated in various forms since 2024 to assist parents during key periods. Many schools are scheduled to reopen on August 31, 2026, with staggered dates depending on the curriculum followed.
Similar directives have appeared at the emirate level, as the Ajman government human resources department issued its own circular for local staff granting up to three hours of leeway during the first week according to Khaleej Times. The federal measure complements these local initiatives to create consistent support for working parents across the country. Employees must record approved flexible timings through designated systems such as entity-specific applications.
The authority stressed that all flexibility provisions remain conditional on maintaining productivity and service delivery standards. Gulf News reported that the policy takes full account of differences in school calendars to ensure equitable application. This latest announcement underscores ongoing refinements to federal human resources practices that accommodate family responsibilities without compromising institutional efficiency.
