Working Hours and Overtime in Albania

In Albania, your company must comply with working hour and overtime laws – including daily limits, overtime thresholds, and rest requirements – to stay compliant and build a strong employee experience.

As you plan staffing and scheduling through 2026, you should expect closer scrutiny of working time records, rest periods, and overtime pay practices, particularly in sectors that rely heavily on shift work or seasonal peaks. Aligning your internal policies with statutory rules and any applicable collective agreements – and updating them as regulations evolve – will help you avoid disputes, inspections, and back-pay claims while supporting employee wellbeing and retention.

• Standard Working Hours
• Overtime Thresholds
• Overtime Pay Rates
• Daily And Weekly Rest Requirements
• Night Work Restrictions
• Penalties For Non-Compliance

What Are The Standard Working Hours In Albania?

An employee whose age is 16 or younger has a maximum of 6 hours per day and 30 hours per week. An employee whose age is 18 or older is allowed to work 40 hours per week. A minimum meal interval of 30 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 9:00 to 17:00.

Maximum Working Hours In Albania

Under Albanian labour law, the standard working time for adult employees is 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week, typically spread over 5 working days. You should structure work schedules so that the average weekly hours do not exceed this limit over the applicable reference period set in internal regulations or collective agreements. Any time worked beyond the normal daily or weekly schedule is generally treated as overtime and must follow the statutory rules on consent, limits, and compensation.

Industry-Specific Exceptions

• Continuous Process Manufacturing And Energy Supply
• Healthcare, Emergency, And Social Care Services
• Hospitality, Tourism, And Retail With Extended Opening Hours
• Transport, Logistics, And Shift-Based Operations
• Agriculture And Seasonal Work With Peak Periods

Managerial And Exempt Employees

Senior managers and certain high-level decision makers may have broader flexibility in their working hours, but they are not completely outside the scope of working time protections. You should clearly define managerial or exempt status in employment contracts and internal policies, specifying expectations around availability, working time, and any flat-rate compensation that covers additional hours. Even for managers, you remain responsible for safeguarding health and safety, avoiding excessive working hours, and ensuring that minimum daily and weekly rest periods are respected.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Albania

Full-time employment in Albania is generally based on a 40-hour workweek for adult employees, usually 8 hours per day over 5 days. Part-time arrangements must be proportionate to this benchmark and clearly documented in the employment contract, including the distribution of hours and any flexibility clauses. When designing work schedules, you should ensure that full-time hours, overtime, and rest periods are all aligned with statutory requirements and any applicable collective agreements.

Overtime Regulations In Albania

What Counts As Overtime In Albania?

In Albania, overtime is generally any working time performed beyond the employee’s normal daily or weekly schedule, which for full-time adult employees is typically 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week. Overtime should be exceptional, justified by business needs, and requested or approved by you in advance, except in emergencies. You should define in writing what constitutes regular working hours in each role so that any additional hours can be clearly identified and compensated as overtime.

Maximum Overtime In Albania

Albanian law limits the amount of overtime that employees may perform to protect their health and safety. While specific caps can be refined by collective agreements, as a general rule you should ensure that total working time, including overtime, does not regularly exceed 48 hours per week when averaged over the relevant reference period. Overtime should not be imposed unreasonably, and you must obtain the employee’s consent where required, keep accurate records of all extra hours worked, and monitor workloads to prevent systematic overuse of overtime.

Overtime Payout Rates In Albania

Overtime work in Albania must be compensated at a higher rate than normal working hours. As a baseline, overtime performed on regular working days is typically paid at a premium percentage above the employee’s normal hourly wage, while overtime performed at night, on weekly rest days, or on public holidays attracts even higher premiums. You may also agree in writing to provide time off in lieu at an enhanced rate, provided the employee receives at least the equivalent benefit within a reasonable period. Your internal policies and employment contracts should clearly state overtime rates, calculation methods, and approval procedures to ensure transparency and compliance.

Rest Periods And Breaks In Albania

In Albania, employees typically work up to 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week, and the law links these standard working hours to mandatory rest periods and breaks. You must build daily and weekly schedules so that employees receive proper meal breaks during longer shifts, uninterrupted daily rest between working days, and weekly rest days, with additional protections for minors. These rest entitlements are essential for safeguarding health and safety and must be integrated into your workforce planning, shift design, and overtime practices.

• Meal Break Requirements
• Daily Rest
• Weekly Rest
• Minors
• Employer Duties