Your payslip says you worked 176 hours last month. Your own notes say 204. Who is right — and more importantly, can you prove it? Disagreements about working hours are one of the most common workplace disputes in the UAE, and they almost always come down to one thing: records. This Working Hours Record Checklist gives you a simple, practical system for keeping your own independent record of the hours you work, so you are never relying on memory alone if a question about overtime, pay or attendance ever comes up.
Most employers are expected to track working time, but their records do not always match reality — and in some workplaces they barely exist at all. Keeping your own log takes about five minutes a day. That small habit can be the difference between winning and losing a pay dispute, and it costs you nothing.
Quick Answer
Every working day, record three things: the time you start and finish work, the breaks you take, and any overtime — including the date, the number of hours and who asked you to do it. Alongside that daily log, keep copies of your shift roster, your payslips, your employment contract and any written overtime approvals. Store everything in one dated, backed-up place, and keep your records for the whole time you work for an employer — ideally for a while after you leave, since labour claims can generally be raised within a year of the issue arising.
Why Keeping Your Own Working Hours Records Matters
It is tempting to assume your employer’s attendance system has everything covered. Often it does — until the month your overtime pay comes up short, or HR claims you were late on days you know you were on time, or a shift gets quietly edited after the fact. Biometric systems fail, manual timesheets get “corrected”, and spreadsheets get rebuilt. Your own contemporaneous notes are the one version of events nobody can edit but you.
Good records matter in three specific situations. First, overtime disputes: if extra hours are not paid, your log is the evidence. Second, official complaints: if you ever raise a case with MOHRE, dated records make your complaint credible and much easier to assess. Third, end-of-service calculations: your length of service and working pattern feed into things like gratuity, so an accurate personal history protects you there too.
Your Working Hours Record Checklist
Work through the ten items below. You do not need anything fancy — a notebook, a notes app or a simple spreadsheet all work. What matters is consistency and dates.
1. Daily start and finish times
The core of your log. Note the exact time you start work and the exact time you stop, every day — not the scheduled times, the actual ones. If you regularly start at 8:55 and leave at 18:20, write that down. Those extra 25 minutes at each end add up to real overtime over a month.
2. Break times
Record when you take your lunch and other breaks and how long they last. Breaks are not counted as working time under UAE law, so a clear break record stops anyone from either side misclassifying your day. It also proves you took the rest periods you are entitled to.
3. Overtime — date, hours, reason and who asked
For every overtime stint, write down the date, how many extra hours you worked, what the work was, and who requested it. A line like “12 May — stayed 18:00–20:30, month-end reports, asked by Mr. Ahmed” is far more useful than “did some overtime in May”. If you want a deeper list of exactly what to keep for overtime specifically, see our overtime documentation checklist.
4. Shift rosters and schedules
Screenshot or photograph your roster every time it is published or changed. Rotas are routinely updated, and the version that proves you were scheduled for a particular shift has a habit of disappearing when a dispute starts. Save each version with the date you captured it.
5. Payslips and salary proof
Keep every payslip, and compare the hours and overtime shown on it against your own log each month. If your salary is paid into a bank account, your bank statements are a useful second source of proof. A salary certificate from your employer can also confirm your basic salary, which is the figure overtime rates are calculated from — our salary certificate guide explains how to get one.
6. Your employment contract
Keep a signed copy of your contract and any amendments. It is the document that defines your normal working hours, your basic salary and your overtime terms — everything else in this checklist is measured against it. If you have never received a copy, ask HR for one; you are entitled to it. Our guide to UAE employment contract types explains what should be in it.
7. Written overtime approvals
Save every email, message or memo in which overtime is requested or approved. Even informal WhatsApp messages from a supervisor count as supporting evidence — keep the originals with their dates rather than paraphrasing them. If overtime is assigned verbally, note the date, time, who asked and any witnesses, and follow up with a short confirming message if you can.
8. Leave records
Keep copies of your approved annual leave requests, sick leave certificates and any unpaid leave. Leave affects your total working days in a month, and gaps in your log look suspicious if you cannot explain them. A leave request with a date on it explains a gap instantly.
9. Weekly and monthly totals
Once a week, add up your hours and write down the total. A running total makes patterns obvious — for example, that you have averaged 54 hours a week for two months straight — and it gives you a single clean figure to quote if you ever need to. It takes two minutes and turns scattered daily notes into a usable summary.
10. Photos and screenshots of attendance systems
If your workplace uses a biometric terminal, an app or a sign-in sheet, take a periodic screenshot or photo of your own attendance record from it. This is not about spying on your employer; it is a backup in case the system’s data is ever lost, reset or disputed. Monthly screenshots are usually enough.
A simple daily log format
If you like structure, this is all you need per day:
| Date | Start | Breaks | Finish | Overtime | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 May | 08:55 | 13:00–14:00 | 20:30 | 2.5 h | Month-end reports, asked by Mr. Ahmed |
| 13 May | 09:00 | 13:00–14:00 | 18:05 | 1 h | Covered Sara’s shift handover |
How to Keep Records That Actually Hold Up
A record is only useful if someone else can trust it. Four habits make your log credible. First, write things down on the day — contemporaneous notes carry far more weight than a reconstruction made weeks later. Second, never back-edit: if you made a mistake, correct it with a new dated entry rather than rewriting history. Third, keep one consistent system instead of scattering notes across apps, notebooks and sticky notes. Fourth, back everything up: a phone can be lost, so keep a copy in cloud storage or email the spreadsheet to yourself monthly. MOHRE’s official overtime guide is also worth reading, since it shows exactly how the authorities calculate the hours and rates your records should reflect.
How Long Should You Keep Working Hours Records?
Keep your daily logs for the entire time you work for an employer, and do not delete them the day you leave. Labour claims in the UAE are generally subject to a one-year time limit from when the issue arose, so holding your records for at least a year after your employment ends is the sensible minimum. Keep your contract, final payslips and any end-of-service settlement documents longer — ideally indefinitely, since they prove your service history if it is ever questioned years later.
What If Your Employer Does Not Keep Proper Records?
Then your own records become the best evidence available, which is exactly why this checklist exists. Start by comparing your log with whatever your employer has on file — our guide on how to check your recorded working hours shows you how to request and read those records. If you find overtime you worked but your employer never recorded, read what to do if overtime is not recorded; if the hours are recorded but the pay never arrived, see what to do if overtime is not paid. In both cases, your dated log, screenshots and written approvals are what turn a complaint from “he said, she said” into something an investigator can act on.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is it legal for me to keep my own working-hours records?
Yes. Writing down your own start times, finish times and overtime is completely fine — these are facts about your own working day. The one line not to cross is copying confidential company data that has nothing to do with your hours. Your personal log of your own time is not company property.
Do screenshots of WhatsApp messages count as evidence?
They can support your case, especially when they show a supervisor requesting overtime or confirming hours. Keep the original messages with their dates and sender names rather than retyped summaries, and do not delete the chat. Screenshots work best alongside your daily log, not instead of it.
What if my company uses biometric attendance — do I still need my own records?
Yes. Biometric systems are convenient but not infallible: terminals malfunction, records get edited during payroll processing, and access to your own data can be cut off the day you resign. A five-minute daily habit is cheap insurance against all of that.
Should I record my hours in a notebook or an app?
Whichever one you will actually use every day. A paper notebook is simple and tamper-evident; a notes app or spreadsheet is searchable and easy to back up. The format matters far less than the habits: same day, every day, with dates.
Can I share my records with MOHRE if I file a complaint?
Yes. You can attach your logs, screenshots and messages as supporting evidence when you file a complaint through the MOHRE website, app or service centres. Organised, dated evidence helps the case handler understand your complaint quickly, which is always in your favour.
What if my manager only ever assigns overtime verbally?
Note it down immediately: the date, the time, what was asked, who asked, and who else was present. If you feel comfortable doing so, send a brief follow-up message — “Just confirming I’ll stay until 8pm tonight for the stock count” — which creates a written trace. Even without that, a consistent pattern in your log (overtime every Thursday, say) is persuasive on its own.
The Bottom Line
You do not need special software or legal training to protect yourself — just a daily habit. Log your start and finish times, your breaks and your overtime; keep your roster, payslips, contract and approvals; back it all up and hold onto it. If your hours are ever questioned, underpaid or simply missing from your employer’s books, this Working Hours Record Checklist is what turns your memory into proof.
Last Updated: 8 October 2026
About the author: Zaviyar Sultan is a UAE-focused writer at Paxi, covering driving, visas, banking, insurance and everyday UAE life. His guides are researched from official UAE government and regulator sources and updated regularly.
Paxi is an independent informational website, not affiliated with the UAE government or any agency mentioned; content is general information only, not legal, immigration or financial advice; verify critical details with official sources before acting.