Working Hours and Overtime in Cambodia

What Are The Standard Working Hours In Cambodia?

An employee whose age is 18 or younger has a maximum of 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week. An employee whose age is 18 or older is allowed to work 48 hours per week. A minimum meal interval of 60 minutes must be observed by employees who work more than 6 hours in a day. In typical working hours, Monday through Friday, the hours are 8:00 to 17:00.

Maximum Working Hours In Cambodia

Under the Cambodian Labour Law, normal working time is capped at 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week for most employees. You may distribute these 48 hours over no more than 6 days, which means a standard workday should not exceed 8 hours. Any work beyond these limits is treated as overtime and must follow strict compensation and consent rules.

Collective bargaining agreements or internal regulations can adjust daily schedules, such as introducing split shifts or compressed weeks, but they cannot increase the legal weekly maximum above 48 hours. As an employer, you must clearly document working schedules, keep accurate time records, and ensure that any flexibility still respects daily rest and weekly rest requirements. Failure to control hours exposes you to back-pay claims, administrative fines, and potential labour inspector sanctions.

Industry-Specific Exceptions

Companies hiring in sectors like healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, or hospitality may be subject to special scheduling rules. In practice, these sectors often rely on shift systems, on-call arrangements, or rotating rosters to maintain 24-hour coverage while still respecting the 48-hour weekly limit. You must design rosters so that employees receive adequate daily and weekly rest, even when operations run continuously.

• Healthcare professionals may work 12-hour shifts with extended rest periods.
• Transport workers must comply with EU-aligned rest and driving limits.
• Manufacturing and security staff often rotate through night or weekend shifts.

Even in these sectors, you must ensure the average weekly limit is respected over a reference period. In Cambodia, labour inspectors may scrutinize long or irregular shifts more closely, especially where fatigue could create safety risks. You should formalize any sector-specific arrangements in written policies or collective agreements and communicate them clearly to staff.

Managerial And Exempt Employees

Cambodian law allows certain senior managerial staff and employees with high levels of autonomy to be treated differently for scheduling purposes, but they are not completely outside the Labour Law. In practice, managers may work irregular or longer hours without the same overtime entitlements as rank-and-file staff, provided their higher salary and responsibilities reflect this arrangement. You should define managerial or supervisory status clearly in employment contracts and internal regulations.

Even where overtime premiums do not apply, you remain responsible for protecting the health and safety of managerial employees. Excessive hours without adequate rest can still be challenged under general occupational safety obligations. To reduce risk, set reasonable expectations for availability, monitor workloads, and avoid systematically exceeding the 48-hour benchmark without justification.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Cambodia

In Cambodia, statutory full-time work is generally understood as 48 hours per week, usually spread over 6 days at 8 hours per day. Many employers, especially in professional or office settings, voluntarily adopt a 40–44 hour week to remain competitive and support work–life balance. Any schedule that regularly exceeds 48 hours per week must treat the excess as overtime with the appropriate premiums.

You may implement part-time, rotating, or flexible schedules as long as they are documented and respect daily and weekly limits. Written contracts should specify the normal weekly hours, the distribution of those hours, and how overtime will be authorized and paid. Clear definitions of full-time versus part-time status also help you manage benefits eligibility and payroll planning.

Overtime Regulations In Cambodia

Overtime in Cambodia is tightly regulated, and you must obtain prior authorization from the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training for regular overtime arrangements. You are required to keep detailed time records showing normal hours, overtime hours, and the corresponding premium rates paid. Non-compliance with overtime rules can lead to back payment of wages at the correct premium rates, administrative fines, and potential suspension of certain business activities.

What Counts As Overtime In Cambodia?

Overtime in Cambodia is any working time that exceeds 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week for full-time employees. Work performed beyond the normal daily schedule, even if the weekly total remains under 48 hours, is generally treated as overtime if it is requested by you and not offset by reduced hours on another day in the same week. You should define normal working hours clearly in contracts and internal regulations to avoid disputes about when overtime begins.

Work performed on the employee’s weekly rest day or on a public holiday is also considered overtime and attracts higher statutory premiums. In Cambodia, rest day or holiday work typically requires the employee’s consent and, for systematic use, prior approval from the labour authorities. You should avoid using overtime as a permanent staffing solution and instead rely on proper workforce planning.

Maximum Overtime In Cambodia

Cambodian Labour Law generally limits overtime to 2 hours per day, meaning the total working time should not exceed 10 hours in any one day. In practice, this results in a typical weekly overtime cap of 12 hours if an employee works 6 days per week, bringing the combined total to 60 hours. You must not schedule overtime that would push employees beyond these daily and weekly thresholds without specific authorization from the Ministry of Labour.

For exceptional and temporary circumstances, such as urgent repairs or peak production, labour authorities may allow you to exceed the usual 2-hour daily overtime limit, but such approvals are time-bound and closely scrutinized. You should document the reasons for any requested extension, the number of affected employees, and the exact additional hours sought, for example increasing overtime from 2 hours to 3–4 hours on specific days. Without such approval, any overtime beyond 2 hours per day is unlawful and exposes you to penalties and back-pay obligations.

Overtime Payout Rates In Cambodia

In Cambodia, overtime performed on a normal working day must be paid at a minimum of 150% of the employee’s normal hourly wage, that is 1.5x, for hours worked between 5:00 and 22:00. If overtime on a normal working day falls between 22:00 and 5:00, you must pay at least 200% of the normal hourly wage, or 2.0x. These statutory minimums apply regardless of whether the employee is paid hourly or monthly, so you must convert monthly salaries into an hourly rate for accurate calculations.

Overtime worked on the weekly rest day or on a public holiday attracts higher premiums. For work on a weekly rest day, you must pay at least 200% of the normal hourly wage, or 2.0x, and for work on a public holiday you must pay at least 300% of the normal hourly wage, or 3.0x. If rest day or holiday overtime is performed at night between 22:00 and 5:00, the combined premium can reach 230%–330% depending on the specific legal interpretation, so many employers adopt a conservative approach and pay at least 2.3x–3.3x to avoid disputes.

Rest Periods And Breaks In Cambodia

In Cambodia, employees typically work up to 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week, and the Labour Law links specific rest periods and breaks to these standard hours. You must schedule meal breaks and daily rest so that employees are not required to work more than 5 consecutive hours without a break. Weekly rest days are also mandatory and must be respected even when you rely on overtime or shift work.

• Meal Break: Employees who work more than 6 hours in a day are entitled to at least a 1-hour unpaid meal break, commonly scheduled around midday in Cambodia. You should ensure this break is clearly indicated on work schedules and that employees are free from duties during this time.
• Daily Rest: Cambodian practice requires a minimum daily rest period of 11 consecutive hours between the end of one workday and the start of the next. This rest must not be eroded by excessive overtime or on-call demands.
• Weekly Rest: Employees are entitled to at least 1 full day of rest per week, typically Sunday, after working up to 6 days. In continuous operations, you may rotate the weekly rest day but must still provide 24 consecutive hours off.
• Minors: Workers under 18 are subject to stricter limits on daily hours and must receive adequate rest to protect their health and development. You should avoid scheduling minors for night work or split shifts that reduce their continuous rest.
• Employer Duty: As an employer in Cambodia, you are responsible for organizing work so that statutory breaks and rest periods are actually taken. Time records and rosters should demonstrate compliance in case of labour inspections or disputes.

Night Shifts And Weekend Regulations In Cambodia

Night and weekend work are legal in Cambodia but subject to additional employer responsibilities and employee protections. You must pay statutory premiums for qualifying night work and for work performed on weekly rest days or public holidays. Proper scheduling, documentation, and consent are essential to remain compliant.

Night work in Cambodia is generally understood as work performed between 22:00 and 5:00, and this definition applies across most roles and sectors. When employees work during this window, you must apply higher overtime rates than for daytime overtime. You should clearly define night-shift hours in contracts and internal regulations.

• Premium Pay: For overtime performed at night between 22:00 and 5:00 on a normal working day, you must pay at least 200% of the normal hourly wage, or 2.0x, compared with the 150% or 1.5x rate for daytime overtime. If night work falls on a weekly rest day or public holiday, combined premiums can reach at least 230%–330% of the normal hourly wage, and many employers adopt these higher rates to avoid disputes.
• Health Monitoring: While Cambodian law does not mandate periodic medical exams for night workers in all sectors, you are expected to protect employee health under general occupational safety rules. For regular night-shift staff, you should consider offering health checks and fatigue management measures, especially in safety-sensitive roles.
• Workplace Restrictions: Cambodian regulations restrict night work for minors and pregnant workers, particularly in hazardous industries such as manufacturing and construction. You should avoid assigning these workers to night shifts and document any accommodations or reassignments you provide.

Weekend work, especially on the traditional weekly rest day of Sunday, is allowed but must be compensated at premium rates and accompanied by substitute rest. Work on the weekly rest day must be paid at least 200% of the normal hourly wage, or 2.0x, and you must grant an alternative 24-hour rest period within the following week.