Working Hours and Overtime in Bonaire

In Bonaire, 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.

Looking ahead to 2026, regulators are expected to focus more closely on transparent scheduling, accurate timekeeping, and the prevention of excessive working hours, especially in sectors with irregular or seasonal work. You should review contracts, policies, and time-recording systems to ensure they clearly define standard working hours, overtime conditions, and rest entitlements, and that managers are trained to apply these rules consistently. Proactive compliance will reduce the risk of disputes, inspections, and financial penalties 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 Bonaire?

An employee whose age is 16 or younger has a maximum of 7 hours per day and 40 hours per week. An employee whose age is 17 or older is allowed to work 45 hours per week. A minimum meal interval of 30 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 8:00 to 17:00.

Maximum Working Hours In Bonaire

In Bonaire, standard working time is generally capped at 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week for most adult employees, with some sectors operating up to 9 hours per day provided the weekly total does not exceed 45 hours. You should structure work schedules so that the average weekly hours over the applicable reference period remain within these limits and ensure that any additional time is treated and compensated as overtime. For part-time employees, contractual hours must be clearly defined, and any work beyond those hours should be addressed in writing, including whether it is considered overtime or additional hours at the normal rate.

Industry-Specific Exceptions

• Hospitality And Tourism Operations
• Retail And Commercial Services
• Transportation And Port Services
• Healthcare And Emergency Services
• Security And Surveillance Work

Managerial And Exempt Employees

Senior managers and certain highly autonomous professionals in Bonaire may have more flexible schedules and, in practice, can work beyond the usual daily or weekly limits without the same overtime entitlements as rank-and-file staff. However, you should not assume that all managers are automatically exempt from working-time protections. Their duties, level of decision-making authority, and remuneration must justify any exemption, and their employment contracts should explicitly describe their status, expected working pattern, and any inclusive salary arrangements that cover irregular hours. Even for exempt employees, you remain responsible for preventing excessive working hours that could endanger health and safety and for ensuring that minimum daily and weekly rest periods are respected.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Bonaire

Full-time employment in Bonaire is typically based on a schedule of 40 hours per week, usually spread over 5 working days. Some collective agreements or sectoral practices allow up to 45 hours per week as full-time, often compensated through higher pay or additional leave. When defining full-time roles, you should clearly state the weekly hours, normal daily start and end times, and how work on weekends or public holidays is handled. This clarity helps you distinguish full-time from part-time status, determine eligibility for benefits, and correctly identify when overtime rules apply.

Overtime Regulations In Bonaire

What Counts As Overtime In Bonaire?

Overtime in Bonaire generally refers to any working time performed beyond the employee’s normal daily or weekly contractual hours, subject to the statutory limits on working time. For a standard full-time schedule of 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week, hours worked above these thresholds are typically treated as overtime, unless a different threshold is set by a collective labour agreement or an approved flexible schedule. You should define in writing what constitutes normal hours for each role and specify when work is considered overtime, including work performed in the evening, at night, on rest days, or on public holidays.

Maximum Overtime In Bonaire

Employers in Bonaire must ensure that overtime remains exceptional and does not result in excessive weekly or monthly working hours. As a practical benchmark, total working time – regular hours plus overtime – should not routinely exceed 48 hours per week, and overtime should be limited to urgent or seasonal needs. You should monitor overtime on a rolling basis, set internal caps per week and per month, and require prior managerial approval before employees work beyond their scheduled hours. Keeping accurate records of overtime is essential both for compliance and for demonstrating that you are not systematically overworking staff.

Overtime Payout Rates In Bonaire

Overtime in Bonaire is usually compensated at a premium rate above the employee’s normal hourly wage, particularly for work performed beyond the standard daily or weekly limits, at night, on Sundays, or on public holidays. While specific percentages can be set by contract or collective agreement, common practice is to pay at least 125% of the normal rate for regular overtime and higher premiums – for example 150% or 200% – for work on weekly rest days or public holidays. You may also agree with employees or through a collective agreement to grant time off in lieu of paid overtime, provided the compensatory rest is equivalent and granted within a reasonable period. All applicable overtime rates and conditions should be clearly documented in employment contracts, staff handbooks, or collective agreements.

Rest Periods And Breaks In Bonaire

In Bonaire, employees typically work around 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week, and rest periods and breaks are designed to ensure that these working hours do not compromise health, safety, or productivity. As an employer, you must integrate meal breaks, daily rest, and weekly rest into work schedules so that employees have sufficient uninterrupted time away from work, with particular attention to younger workers and those performing night or shift work.

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