Working Hours and Overtime in Bosnia & Herzegovina

What Are The Standard Working Hours In Bosnia & Herzegovina?

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 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 08:00 to 16:00.

Maximum Working Hours In Bosnia & Herzegovina

In Bosnia & Herzegovina, the statutory full-time schedule is 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week, usually spread over five working days. You may distribute these hours differently across the week only if the employment contract or collective agreement clearly defines the pattern. Any schedule that regularly exceeds 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week is treated as overtime and must follow strict rules.

Employers must keep accurate records of daily and weekly hours for each employee and be able to demonstrate compliance to labour inspectors. Flexible or uneven schedules are permitted, but the average working time over the agreed reference period must not exceed 40 hours per week. You should also ensure that working hours respect 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. In these sectors, longer daily shifts such as 10 or 12 hours can be used, provided that equivalent rest and overtime compensation are granted. Collective agreements or internal regulations often specify how shifts are rotated and how rest is guaranteed.

Even in these sectors, you must ensure the average weekly limit is respected over a reference period. For example, a 12-hour shift system in healthcare or security must be balanced so that the average does not exceed 40 hours per week over the month. You remain responsible for ensuring that employees receive their minimum daily and weekly rest regardless of operational demands.

• 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 the reference period, typically one to three months, in contracts or work rules. This documentation helps demonstrate that long shifts are offset by additional days off.

Managerial And Exempt Employees

Senior managers and key decision-makers may have more flexible schedules, but they are not fully exempt from working-time protections in Bosnia & Herzegovina. Their contracts can provide for irregular hours and broader availability, yet you must still respect health and safety limits, including daily and weekly rest. If managers work beyond 40 hours per week, you should regulate whether those hours are treated as overtime or included in a higher base salary.

Any exemption or special regime for managerial staff must be clearly defined in the employment contract. You should specify whether overtime premiums apply or whether the salary already covers a certain volume of additional hours. Transparent terms reduce disputes and make it easier to justify working patterns during inspections.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Bosnia & Herzegovina

Statutory full-time work in Bosnia & Herzegovina is generally defined as 40 hours per week. Collective agreements may allow a shorter full-time week, such as 36 or 38 hours, in specific industries or companies. In such cases, employees working the reduced schedule are still considered full-time and entitled to full-time benefits.

Part-time work is any schedule below the full-time threshold, and it must be clearly stated in the employment contract. You may also introduce compressed workweeks or flexible hours, provided that the average does not exceed 40 hours per week over the agreed reference period. Always ensure that any variation is documented and communicated to employees in advance.

Overtime Regulations In Bosnia & Herzegovina

Overtime in Bosnia & Herzegovina is tightly regulated, and employers must justify it by increased workload, force majeure, or other objective business needs. You are required to keep detailed records of overtime hours for each employee and retain them for labour inspection. Failure to document and properly compensate overtime can lead to fines and back-pay obligations.

What Counts As Overtime In Bosnia & Herzegovina?

Overtime is any work performed beyond the statutory full-time schedule of 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week, unless a different full-time norm is set by collective agreement. Work performed on an employee’s weekly rest day or on a public holiday is also treated as overtime, even if the total weekly hours remain at or below 40. In practice, you should treat any employer-ordered work outside the agreed schedule as overtime unless it is clearly covered by flexible working-time arrangements.

Overtime must be ordered or at least explicitly approved by the employer, usually in writing or through a documented scheduling system. Employees cannot unilaterally decide to work overtime and then claim premiums without prior approval. You should also ensure that overtime does not breach daily and weekly rest requirements.

Maximum Overtime In Bosnia & Herzegovina

In Bosnia & Herzegovina, overtime is generally limited to 8 hours per week per employee. This translates to a typical cap of 4 hours of overtime on any given day, so that total daily working time does not normally exceed 12 hours. Over a longer period, the law and collective agreements typically limit overtime to 150 hours per year per employee.

In exceptional cases, such as urgent operational needs or force majeure, overtime can be extended up to 180 hours per year with employee consent or union consultation, depending on the entity-level rules. You must document the reasons for exceeding normal overtime and keep evidence of any approvals obtained. Exceeding these caps without proper justification exposes you to administrative fines and potential claims for damages.

Overtime Payout Rates In Bosnia & Herzegovina

Overtime work in Bosnia & Herzegovina must be paid at a premium of at least 25% above the employee’s regular hourly wage, meaning a minimum rate of 125% (1.25x) of the base rate. Work performed at night that also qualifies as overtime is commonly paid at a combined premium of at least 35% to 50%, resulting in 135% to 150% of the base rate, depending on the applicable collective agreement. You should always check the relevant branch or company agreement, as many provide higher percentages.

Work on Sundays and weekly rest days is typically compensated at a minimum of 35% above the regular wage, or 135% (1.35x) of the base rate. Work on public holidays is usually paid at a minimum of 50% above the regular wage, or 150% (1.5x) of the base rate, and may be higher under collective agreements. You may agree with employees to grant time off in lieu, but the value of the time off must be at least equivalent to the monetary premium they would otherwise receive.

Rest Periods And Breaks In Bosnia & Herzegovina

Employees in Bosnia & Herzegovina typically work 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week, and rest periods are designed to protect their health within this framework. During the working day, employees are entitled to a meal break, as well as daily and weekly rest that cannot be waived. You must structure schedules so that these breaks are actually taken, not just theoretically granted.

• Meal Break: Employees who work at least 6 hours in a day are entitled to a paid or unpaid meal break of at least 30 minutes, which should generally be scheduled in the middle of the shift. You must ensure that operational demands do not prevent employees from taking this break.
• Daily Rest: Employees must receive a minimum of 12 consecutive hours of rest between the end of one working day and the start of the next. This daily rest can only be reduced in narrowly defined exceptional circumstances and must be compensated with equivalent rest.
• Weekly Rest: Employees are entitled to at least 24 consecutive hours of weekly rest, which is usually granted on Sunday and combined with daily rest to reach 36 hours. If business needs require Sunday work, you must provide a substitute rest day during the same week.
• Minors: Workers under 18 years of age benefit from stricter rest rules, including a daily rest of at least 12 consecutive hours and a weekly rest of at least 48 consecutive hours. They are also entitled to a longer daily break when working close to the maximum of 8 hours.
• Employer Duty: Employers must plan shifts so that statutory breaks and rest periods are respected and recorded. If inspections reveal that employees are routinely denied breaks or rest, you may face fines and orders to adjust schedules.

Night Shifts And Weekend Regulations In Bosnia & Herzegovina

Night and weekend work are legal in Bosnia & Herzegovina but subject to additional employer responsibilities and employee protections. You must pay appropriate premiums, monitor health and safety risks, and ensure that rest periods are not compromised by irregular schedules.

Night work in Bosnia & Herzegovina is generally defined as work performed between 22:00 and 06:00. This definition applies across most roles and sectors, although some collective agreements may slightly adjust the exact window while keeping at least 7 consecutive night hours.

• Premium Pay: Night work is typically compensated with a premium of at least 25% above the regular hourly wage, meaning a minimum of 125% (1.25x) of the base rate for hours worked between 22:00 and 06:00. Some collective agreements increase this premium to 30% or 35%, especially in demanding sectors such as healthcare or manufacturing.
• Health Monitoring: Regular night workers should undergo periodic health assessments to identify any adverse effects of night work, particularly in safety-sensitive roles. If a medical assessment finds that night work is harmful to an employee’s health, you should consider transferring them to day work where feasible.
• Workplace Restrictions: Minors under 18 are generally prohibited from night work, with only very narrow exceptions in specific supervised training contexts. Pregnant workers and recent mothers are also protected from night work and may request transfer to daytime duties without loss of pay.

Weekend work, especially on Sundays, is restricted by the requirement to provide at least 24 consecutive hours of weekly rest, usually on Sunday. When employees must work on Sunday or another designated rest day, you must grant a substitute rest day and pay a premium that is typically at least 35% above the regular wage, or 135% (1.35x) of the base rate, with higher rates often set by collective agreements.