Working Hours and Overtime in Algeria

What Are The Standard Working Hours In Algeria?

An employee whose age is 17 or younger has a maximum of 7 hours per day and 40 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 8:00 to 16:30.

Maximum Working Hours In Algeria

In Algeria, the statutory standard working time is 40 hours per week, usually organized as 8 hours per day over 5 days. Daily working time should not normally exceed 8 actual hours, excluding unpaid meal breaks, unless a collective agreement or internal regulation provides for a different distribution within the 40-hour weekly limit. Employers must clearly define working schedules in writing and communicate them to employees in advance.

Collective agreements may allow for flexible arrangements such as compressed weeks or variable hours, provided that the average does not exceed 40 hours per week over the agreed reference period. Any hours worked beyond the standard schedule must be justified by business needs and recorded accurately in timekeeping systems. Employers are responsible for ensuring that extended hours do not infringe mandatory daily and weekly rest periods.

Industry-Specific Exceptions

Companies hiring in sectors like healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, or hospitality may be subject to special scheduling rules that allow for longer daily shifts while maintaining overall weekly limits. In these sectors, work is often organized in rotating shifts to ensure continuity of service, and collective agreements frequently refine how the 40-hour weekly limit is applied. Employers must verify whether a sectoral collective agreement or specific decree imposes additional constraints on scheduling.

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 also monitor fatigue risks and adjust staffing levels when demand is high to avoid systematic reliance on overtime. Written shift rosters and documented handover procedures are essential for compliance and safety.

Managerial And Exempt Employees

In Algeria, certain senior managerial staff and employees with broad autonomy over their working time may be treated differently from standard hourly workers. Their remuneration is typically structured on a global salary basis that is presumed to cover a higher level of responsibility and, within limits, additional hours. However, this does not give employers unlimited discretion to impose excessive working hours.

Employment contracts for managerial or exempt employees should clearly describe their status, expected working patterns, and how any additional hours are compensated or deemed included. Even for exempt staff, employers must respect health and safety obligations, including reasonable limits on daily and weekly working time and guaranteed rest periods. Misclassifying employees as exempt when they do not truly meet the criteria can expose you to back pay claims for overtime.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Algeria

Statutory full-time work in Algeria is generally defined as 40 hours per week for employees aged 18 or older. This is most commonly arranged as 8 hours per day over 5 days, with Friday typically treated as the weekly rest day in many organizations. Collective agreements or internal rules may adopt different daily distributions while keeping the weekly total at 40 hours.

Part-time arrangements involve a contractual working time below 40 hours per week, with pro-rated pay and benefits. Employers may also use variable schedules where hours fluctuate between weeks, provided that the average over the agreed reference period does not exceed full-time limits. Any systematic work beyond the contractual hours should be treated as overtime and compensated according to statutory or collectively agreed rates.

Overtime Regulations In Algeria

Overtime in Algeria is tightly regulated, and employers must ensure that any hours worked beyond the standard 40-hour week are both justified and properly documented. You are required to maintain accurate records of working time, including start and end times, breaks, and overtime hours for each employee. Failure to do so can lead to disputes, back pay claims, and administrative sanctions from the labor inspectorate.

Before imposing overtime, you should verify that it is permitted under applicable collective agreements and that it does not breach daily or weekly rest requirements. Overtime should generally be exceptional and linked to temporary increases in workload or operational needs. Systematic reliance on overtime can be interpreted by authorities as poor workforce planning and may trigger inspections.

What Counts As Overtime In Algeria?

In Algeria, overtime is typically defined as any time worked beyond the statutory 40 hours per week for full-time employees. Hours worked beyond the normal daily schedule, such as more than 8 hours in a day in a standard 5-day arrangement, are also treated as overtime when they cause the weekly total to exceed 40 hours. Employers must distinguish clearly between schedule changes within the 40-hour limit and true overtime that attracts premium pay.

Work performed on the employee’s weekly rest day, which is usually Friday, is generally considered overtime and must be compensated at enhanced rates, commonly at 150% (1.5x) of the normal hourly wage. Work on public holidays is also treated as overtime and is typically paid at 200% (2.0x) of the normal hourly wage. These rules apply regardless of whether the employee is paid hourly or on a monthly salary, and you must be able to show how the overtime component was calculated.

Maximum Overtime In Algeria

Algerian law limits the use of overtime to protect employee health and safety. As a general guideline, overtime should not cause total working time to exceed 48 hours in any given week, meaning a practical overtime cap of 8 hours per week for a full-time employee on a 40-hour schedule. In many sectors, collective agreements further restrict overtime or require prior consultation with employee representatives.

Over a longer reference period, such as a year, employers should avoid systematic overtime that would effectively raise the average weekly working time above 40 hours. In practice, companies often cap overtime at around 200 hours per year per employee, unless a specific sectoral rule allows a different ceiling. When exceptional circumstances require exceeding usual limits, you should obtain written justification, consult with staff representatives where applicable, and be prepared to demonstrate that the situation was temporary and necessary.

Overtime Payout Rates In Algeria

Overtime in Algeria must be compensated at premium rates above the employee’s normal hourly wage. For hours worked beyond the standard schedule on ordinary working days, a common statutory benchmark is 125% (1.25x) of the normal hourly rate. This means that for each overtime hour on a regular day, the employee receives their base hourly wage plus a 25% increase.

When overtime is performed on the weekly rest day, typically Friday, the premium is usually 150% (1.5x) of the normal hourly wage. Work performed on official public holidays is generally paid at 200% (2.0x) of the normal hourly wage, reflecting both overtime and holiday compensation. Collective agreements may provide even higher percentages, but you may not pay less than these statutory benchmarks, and all calculations should be clearly itemized on the payslip.

Rest Periods And Breaks In Algeria

In Algeria, employees typically work 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week, and rest periods are designed to protect health and productivity within this framework. Daily work must be interrupted by at least one meal break when the shift exceeds a set number of hours, and employees are also entitled to minimum daily and weekly rest. As an employer, you must organize schedules so that these breaks and rest periods are actually taken, not just theoretically granted.

• Meal Break: In Algeria, employees who work more than 6 consecutive hours must receive a meal break of at least 30 minutes. This break is generally unpaid unless a collective agreement or company policy states otherwise.
• Daily Rest: Employees are entitled to a minimum uninterrupted daily rest period of 11 consecutive hours between the end of one workday and the start of the next. You must schedule shifts so that this 11-hour rest is respected even when overtime is used.
• Weekly Rest: Workers must receive at least 24 consecutive hours of weekly rest, which in Algeria is commonly granted on Friday. If business needs require work on the usual rest day, you must provide a substitute rest day and apply the appropriate overtime premiums.
• Minors: Employees under 18 benefit from stricter limits on daily working time and must receive longer rest periods between shifts. You should avoid scheduling minors for evening or night work and must ensure that their weekly rest is fully respected.
• Employer Duty: Employers in Algeria are responsible for planning work so that statutory breaks and rest periods are actually observed in practice. Labor inspectors may review schedules and time records, and failure to provide proper rest can result in fines and orders to adjust working time arrangements.

Night Shifts And Weekend Regulations In Algeria

Night and weekend work are legal in Algeria but subject to additional employer responsibilities and employee protections. You must pay attention to working-time limits, rest periods, and any applicable premium rates when organizing such shifts. Proper documentation and clear communication of schedules are essential to remain compliant.

Night work in Algeria is generally understood as work performed between 21:00 and 05:00, although some collective agreements may define a slightly different window such as 22:00 to 06:00. These rules apply across most roles, with particular attention to workers who regularly perform a substantial part of their hours during the night period. Employers should identify regular night workers in contracts or internal regulations and apply the relevant protections.

• Premium Pay: In Algeria, night work is commonly compensated with a premium of at least 25% (1.25x) of the normal hourly wage for hours worked during the defined night period. Some sectoral agreements, especially in industry and healthcare, may increase this premium to 30% or 40% for regular night workers.
• Health Monitoring: Regular night workers in Algeria should benefit from periodic medical examinations to monitor the impact of night schedules on their health. Employers are expected to facilitate access to occupational health services and adjust work patterns if medical advice indicates that night work is no longer suitable.
• Workplace Restrictions: Minors are generally prohibited from performing night work in Algeria, particularly between 21:00 and 05:00. Pregnant workers should be exempted from night shifts upon medical recommendation, and you may need to reassign them to daytime duties without loss of pay.

Weekend work in Algeria often involves work on Friday, which is commonly treated as the weekly rest day, or on Saturday and Sunday in organizations that follow a different weekly pattern. When employees work on their designated weekly rest day, you must provide a substitute rest day and pay overtime premiums that typically reach 150% (1.5x) of the normal hourly wage. Work on public holidays falling on weekends is usually compensated at 200% (2.0x) of the normal hourly wage in addition to granting appropriate rest.