Working Hours and Overtime in Namibia

What Are The Standard Working Hours In Namibia?

An employee whose age is 18 or younger has a maximum of 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week. An employee whose age is 19 or older is allowed to work 45 hours per week. A minimum meal interval of 60 minutes must be observed by employees who work more than 5 hours in a day. In typical working hours, Monday through Friday, the hours are 08:00 to 17:00.

Maximum Working Hours In Namibia

Under the Labour Act, the normal limit for most employees is 9 hours per day when work is performed on 5 days or fewer per week, or 8 hours per day when work is spread over more than 5 days. The corresponding weekly cap for ordinary hours is 45 hours, and you may not schedule employees beyond these ordinary hours without treating the excess as overtime. You must clearly reflect daily and weekly hours in written contracts and workplace rules.

Any variation to these limits must be based on a collective agreement, a registered wage order, or specific authorization from the Labour Commissioner. Even where averaging arrangements are allowed, the average may not exceed 45 ordinary hours per week over the agreed reference period. You are responsible for keeping accurate time and attendance records to demonstrate compliance during inspections.

Industry-Specific Exceptions

Companies hiring in sectors like agriculture, security, hospitality, and domestic work often operate on irregular schedules, but the 45-hour weekly ordinary limit still applies unless a specific wage order or exemption provides otherwise. In continuous operations such as mining or certain manufacturing plants, shift systems may redistribute hours across days, yet the average ordinary hours must remain within statutory limits.

In healthcare, emergency services, and transport, employees may work longer shifts to ensure continuity of service, but you must manage rosters so that daily rest and weekly rest are not undermined. Any extended shifts should be accompanied by compensatory rest and, where applicable, overtime pay at the prescribed premium rates.

• 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. You should document any sector-specific rules in employment contracts and internal policies, and align them with applicable wage orders or collective agreements.

Managerial And Exempt Employees

Senior managerial employees in Namibia may be excluded from some working-time and overtime provisions if they genuinely determine their own working hours and exercise substantial authority. However, you should still define expected working patterns and reasonable limits in their contracts to avoid excessive workloads and potential disputes. Misclassifying employees as managerial to avoid overtime obligations can expose you to legal challenges and back-pay claims.

For professionals and supervisory staff who are not fully exempt, you must apply the same 45-hour ordinary weekly limit and treat additional hours as overtime where the law requires. Clearly distinguish between genuine managerial roles and senior employees who remain covered by working-time protections, and maintain records that support your classification decisions.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Namibia

In Namibia, full-time employment is generally based on the statutory ordinary limit of up to 45 hours per week. Many employers structure this as 9 hours per day over 5 days, or 8 hours per day over 5 and a half or 6 days, provided the weekly total does not exceed 45 hours. Any hours beyond this threshold are typically treated as overtime and must be compensated at premium rates.

Part-time and flexible arrangements may involve fewer weekly hours, but you must still respect daily and weekly maximums and rest requirements. When designing alternative schedules such as compressed workweeks or rotating shifts, ensure that the average ordinary hours do not exceed 45 per week and that overtime is correctly identified and paid.

Overtime Regulations In Namibia

Overtime in Namibia is tightly regulated, and employers must obtain the employee’s consent or rely on a lawful agreement before requiring work beyond ordinary hours. You are obliged to keep detailed records of all overtime worked, including dates, hours, and corresponding pay at the applicable premium rates. Failure to document and pay overtime correctly can lead to compliance findings, back-pay orders, and penalties from the labour authorities.

What Counts As Overtime In Namibia?

Overtime generally means any time worked in excess of the ordinary limits of 9 hours per day on a 5-day schedule or 8 hours per day on a schedule exceeding 5 days, and more than 45 hours per week. Work performed on an employee’s weekly rest day or on a public holiday also qualifies as overtime unless that day has been lawfully rescheduled as an ordinary working day. You must distinguish clearly between ordinary hours, overtime on normal working days, and overtime on Sundays or public holidays for pay purposes.

Overtime must usually be agreed in the employment contract, a collective agreement, or on a case-by-case basis, and employees cannot be forced to work unreasonable overtime. When operational needs require overtime, you should give employees reasonable notice and ensure that daily and weekly rest periods are not compromised. All overtime hours must be reflected on payslips with the correct numerical premium rates applied.

Maximum Overtime In Namibia

Namibian law generally limits overtime to a maximum of 3 hours on any given day and 10 hours in any week for most employees. This means that the combined total of ordinary hours and overtime may not exceed 12 hours on a day when overtime is worked, and 55 hours in a week. You must design rosters so that these caps are never exceeded without lawful authorization.

In exceptional circumstances, a collective agreement or authorization from the Labour Commissioner may allow deviations, but such arrangements must still protect employee health and safety. Even with special approval, overtime beyond 10 hours per week should be temporary and justified by clear operational needs. You should regularly review overtime patterns to ensure that workloads remain sustainable and compliant.

Overtime Payout Rates In Namibia

For overtime worked on a normal working day in Namibia, the statutory minimum overtime rate is 1.5x the employee’s ordinary hourly wage, equivalent to 150% of normal pay. When employees work overtime on a Sunday or on their usual weekly rest day, the minimum rate increases to 2x the ordinary hourly wage, or 200% of normal pay. These numerical premiums apply regardless of whether the employee is paid hourly, weekly, or monthly, and you must calculate the equivalent hourly rate for salaried staff.

Work performed on a public holiday is also generally paid at 2x the ordinary hourly wage, or 200%, if the day would not otherwise have been a normal working day for the employee. If the public holiday falls on a day that is normally worked, at least 1.5x, or 150%, is typically applied for the hours worked, subject to any more favourable terms in a wage order or collective agreement. You may always offer higher rates than these statutory minimums, but you cannot lawfully pay less.

Rest Periods And Breaks In Namibia

In Namibia, employees who work up to the standard 8 to 9 hours per day and 45 hours per week are entitled to specific rest periods and breaks that protect their health and safety. These breaks are structured around the length of the working day, with meal intervals required once work exceeds 5 consecutive hours. You must schedule and record these breaks so they fit logically within the employee’s normal working hours.

• Meal Break: Employees who work more than 5 hours in a day must receive at least a 60-minute uninterrupted meal interval, which is generally unpaid unless the employee is required to remain on duty.
• Daily Rest: Employees are entitled to a continuous daily rest period of at least 12 hours between the end of one workday and the start of the next, and you should avoid scheduling split shifts that undermine this rest.
• Weekly Rest: Employees must receive at least 36 consecutive hours of weekly rest, typically including Sunday, and any deviation should be compensated with an equivalent continuous rest period on another day.
• Minors: Employees under 18 are subject to stricter limits on daily and weekly hours and must receive adequate rest and breaks, with night work and excessive overtime generally prohibited.
• Employer Duty: Employers must actively organize work so that statutory breaks and rest periods are taken, keep records to prove compliance, and ensure that operational demands do not erode these protections.

Night Shifts And Weekend Regulations In Namibia

Night and weekend work are legal in Namibia but subject to additional employer responsibilities and employee protections. You must ensure that such work does not compromise health and safety, and that employees receive appropriate rest and, where applicable, premium pay. Written agreements and clear policies are essential when introducing night or weekend shifts.

Night work in Namibia is generally understood as work performed between 20:00 and 07:00, with particular focus on hours worked after 22:00. These rules apply across most roles except where specific wage orders or collective agreements define a different night period. You should identify in contracts when an employee is classified as a regular night worker and what protections and benefits apply.

• Premium Pay: There is no statutory night work premium rate in Namibia, so the law does not mandate a specific percentage such as 25% or 1.25x for night hours, and employers typically negotiate night allowances or higher hourly rates contractually or through collective agreements.
• Health Monitoring: Regular night workers should be offered periodic health assessments to monitor fatigue, sleep disorders, and other risks associated with night work, and you should adjust schedules or duties if medical advice indicates that night work is unsuitable.
• Workplace Restrictions: Minors and pregnant workers are generally restricted from night work, and you should avoid assigning them to late or overnight shifts unless the law and medical guidance clearly permit it under safe conditions.

Weekend work, particularly on Sundays, is treated as work on a weekly rest day and is generally compensated at 2x, or 200%, of the ordinary hourly wage unless an alternative rest day is properly arranged. If you require employees to work on their usual rest day, you must either provide a substitute continuous rest period of at least 36 hours or pay the applicable premium rate, and these arrangements should be clearly documented.