Working Hours and Overtime in Chad

In Chad, 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 regulations continue to evolve toward 2026, you should expect closer scrutiny of working-time records, clearer rules on overtime compensation, and stronger enforcement of rest and night-work protections. Proactively aligning your policies with statutory standards, documenting schedules and approvals, and training managers on lawful scheduling practices will help you avoid disputes, inspections, and financial penalties while supporting employee wellbeing.

• 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 Chad?

An employee whose age is 17 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 39 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 16:00.

Maximum Working Hours In Chad

Under Chadian labor practice, the statutory full-time schedule is generally 39 hours per week, usually spread over five or six days. Daily working time is commonly limited to around 8 hours, with any work beyond the weekly ceiling treated as overtime. You should clearly define working schedules in employment contracts or internal regulations, including start and end times, breaks, and how work is distributed across the week. Adjustments to schedules – for example, during peak seasons or special projects – should remain within legal limits and be documented in writing.

Industry-Specific Exceptions

• Continuous Process Industries – Such As Energy And Utilities
• Healthcare And Emergency Services
• Hospitality, Tourism, And Catering
• Agriculture And Seasonal Harvest Work
• Transport, Logistics, And Road Haulage
• Security, Guarding, And Surveillance Services

Managerial And Exempt Employees

Senior managers and certain categories of trusted employees may have more flexible schedules, often based on responsibilities and objectives rather than strict hourly tracking. However, you should not assume that all managers are automatically exempt from working-time protections. Clearly identify which roles are treated as managerial or autonomous, describe their expected availability, and specify whether they are entitled to overtime or compensatory rest. Even where exemptions apply, you remain responsible for protecting health and safety by preventing excessive working hours and ensuring reasonable rest.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Chad

For most employees, full-time work in Chad is based on a 39-hour week. This is typically organized as 7.8 hours per day over five days, or up to 8 hours per day over a six-day schedule, depending on your operational needs and any applicable collective agreements. When designing roles, you should align contractual hours with this statutory benchmark, specify whether work on Saturdays or evenings is expected, and clarify how any additional hours will be compensated. Part-time and shift-based arrangements should be pro-rated against the 39-hour standard and documented to avoid ambiguity.

Overtime Regulations In Chad

What Counts As Overtime In Chad?

Overtime in Chad generally refers to any hours worked beyond the statutory full-time threshold of 39 hours per week or beyond the normal daily schedule set in the employment contract or internal rules. You should track working time accurately – including preparatory tasks, closing duties, and mandatory meetings – because these periods usually count as working hours. Overtime should be requested or approved in advance by management, except in genuine emergencies, and employees should not be pressured to work unrecorded extra hours.

Maximum Overtime In Chad

Chadian labor rules aim to limit overtime so that total working time does not become excessive or harmful to employee health. In practice, this means you should cap overtime to a reasonable number of hours per week and per year, often guided by collective agreements or internal policies. As a best practice, avoid schedules that regularly exceed 48 hours per week, including overtime, and ensure that employees still receive their daily and weekly rest. You should monitor overtime patterns, identify roles or departments with persistent overuse, and adjust staffing or shift design accordingly.

Overtime Payout Rates In Chad

Overtime hours in Chad are typically compensated at a premium rate above the employee’s normal hourly wage. Common practice is to apply higher percentages for overtime worked at night, on weekly rest days, or on public holidays, and to provide compensatory rest where appropriate. Your overtime policy should specify the base hourly rate, the applicable premium percentages for different situations, and whether employees may choose time off in lieu. Clearly communicate these rules in contracts, payslips, and employee handbooks, and ensure that payroll systems correctly calculate and itemize overtime payments.

Rest Periods And Breaks In Chad

In Chad, employees typically work around 8 hours per day within a 39-hour workweek, and rest periods are designed to protect health and safety within this framework. During the working day, employees who work more than 6 hours must receive a meal break, and you should also ensure that staff benefit from uninterrupted daily and weekly rest between shifts. Properly structuring breaks and rest periods around the standard working hours helps you manage fatigue, reduce accidents, and remain compliant with labor requirements.

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