Working Hours and Overtime in Chad

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 08:00 to 16:00.

Maximum Working Hours In Chad

In Chad, the statutory full-time working schedule is generally set at 39 hours per week for adult employees, usually spread over 5 or 6 days. Daily working time is commonly limited to about 8 hours, and you should structure shifts so that employees do not regularly exceed this threshold. Any time worked beyond the contractual daily or weekly limit is treated as overtime and must be monitored carefully.

Collective agreements or company policies may distribute the 39-hour weekly limit differently across the week, but they cannot remove statutory protections. As an employer, you must keep accurate records of hours worked, including overtime, to demonstrate compliance during inspections. You should also ensure that scheduling respects mandatory daily and weekly rest periods so that total working time and rest remain balanced.

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 may be permitted, provided that the average weekly working time over a reference period still aligns with the 39-hour standard and applicable overtime rules. You should rely on sectoral collective agreements and written internal policies to define how shifts are organized.

Even in these sectors, you must ensure the average weekly limit is respected over a reference period. You should also ensure that employees receive compensatory rest when operational needs require extended shifts or irregular schedules. Written rosters and advance notice of shift patterns are strongly recommended to reduce disputes and demonstrate compliance.

• 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 verify that any sector-specific derogations are supported by law or collective agreements and that employees receive appropriate overtime pay or time off in lieu. Failure to align practice with written rules can expose your company to inspections and sanctions.

Managerial And Exempt Employees

Senior managerial staff in Chad may enjoy greater flexibility in how their working time is organized, but they are not automatically exempt from all working-time protections. Employment contracts should clearly state whether a manager is subject to the standard 39-hour week or a flat-rate arrangement that already includes a certain number of overtime hours. Even where flat-rate arrangements are used, you must ensure that total hours remain reasonable and that statutory rest periods are respected.

For genuinely autonomous executives, working time may be assessed over longer reference periods rather than strict daily limits. You should document the rationale for any exemption and ensure that remuneration reflects the expected workload. Misclassifying employees as exempt managers when they do not have real autonomy can lead to back payment of overtime and penalties.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Chad

Statutory full-time work in Chad is generally based on 39 hours per week for adult employees. This is typically organized as 5 days of around 7.8 hours or 6 days of shorter shifts, depending on your sector and collective agreements. Any reduction or increase from this baseline should be clearly documented in employment contracts.

Part-time arrangements involve working fewer than 39 hours per week, with rights and benefits usually prorated to hours worked. Flexible or staggered hours are possible, provided that the total weekly hours and rest rules are respected. You should ensure that any change in working hours is agreed in writing and communicated well in advance.

Overtime Regulations In Chad

As an employer in Chad, you must track all hours worked beyond the standard 39-hour workweek and treat them as overtime. Accurate timekeeping systems are essential to calculate overtime premiums correctly and to demonstrate compliance during labor inspections. Failure to record and compensate overtime according to statutory rates can result in back-pay claims, fines, and reputational damage.

What Counts As Overtime In Chad?

In Chad, overtime generally refers to any hours worked beyond the statutory or contractually agreed 39 hours per week for adult employees. Work performed beyond the normal daily schedule that causes the weekly total to exceed 39 hours must be compensated at overtime rates. Hours worked on an employee’s weekly rest day or on a public holiday are also treated as overtime and attract higher premiums.

If you operate shift systems, you must still calculate total hours over the week to identify overtime. When employees are called in exceptionally, such as for emergencies or unplanned coverage, those additional hours count toward overtime once the weekly threshold is exceeded. You should define overtime approval procedures so that managers do not authorize extra hours without considering cost and compliance.

Maximum Overtime In Chad

Chadian labor rules generally limit overtime to 18 hours per week, meaning that total working time should not exceed 57 hours in any given week for adult employees. Over a year, overtime is typically capped at around 150 hours, unless a collective agreement or administrative authorization allows a higher ceiling. You should design schedules so that employees do not regularly approach these limits.

Where exceptional circumstances require additional overtime, prior approval from the labor authorities or reliance on a sectoral agreement is usually necessary to exceed the standard caps. You must document the reasons for such exceptional overtime and keep detailed records of hours worked and premiums paid. Ignoring these numerical limits can expose your company to sanctions and orders to reduce working time.

Overtime Payout Rates In Chad

In Chad, overtime worked on ordinary working days is commonly paid at a minimum premium of 115% of the normal hourly wage for the first tranche of overtime, rising to 150% for higher bands of overtime in the same week. For example, you might pay 1.15x the base rate for the first 8 overtime hours in a week and 1.5x for any additional overtime hours up to the weekly cap. These premiums must be calculated on the employee’s regular hourly remuneration, including fixed allowances that form part of normal pay.

Work performed on weekly rest days or public holidays is usually compensated at higher rates, often at 200% of the normal hourly wage, meaning 2.0x the base rate. Some collective agreements may provide even more favorable rates, such as 150% for Saturday work and 200% for Sunday or holiday work, and you must always apply the most advantageous rule for the employee. You may grant equivalent paid time off in lieu only where the employee agrees and where this is permitted by law or collective agreement, and the value of the time off must match the applicable premium.

Rest Periods And Breaks In Chad

In Chad, employees typically work around 8 hours per day and 39 hours per week, and rest periods are designed to protect their health within this framework. During the working day, employees who work more than 6 hours are entitled to a meal break, and they must also receive sufficient daily and weekly rest between shifts. As an employer, you must organize schedules so that these breaks and rest periods are respected while still meeting operational needs.

• Meal Break: Employees who work more than 6 consecutive hours in Chad must receive at least a 30-minute uninterrupted meal break, which should be scheduled roughly in the middle of the work period. You should ensure that this break is not counted as working time unless a collective agreement or company policy provides otherwise.
• Daily Rest: Workers are generally entitled to a minimum of 11 consecutive hours of rest between the end of one workday and the start of the next. You must design shift patterns so that employees are not called back early in a way that cuts into this daily rest entitlement.
• Weekly Rest: Employees in Chad are usually entitled to at least 24 consecutive hours of weekly rest, commonly taken on Sunday. If business needs require Sunday work, you must provide a substitute rest day during the week and apply any applicable overtime or premium rates.
• Minors: Young workers under 18 benefit from stricter limits on daily hours and must receive adequate breaks and rest. You should avoid scheduling minors for night work or extended shifts that could interfere with their education or health.
• Employer Duty: Employers are responsible for planning work so that statutory breaks and rest periods are actually taken, not just written into policy. You should keep rosters and attendance records that show compliance and train supervisors not to discourage employees from using their entitled breaks.

Night Shifts And Weekend Regulations In Chad

Night and weekend work are legal in Chad but subject to additional employer responsibilities and employee protections. You must pay close attention to working-time limits, rest periods, and any applicable premiums when scheduling staff outside normal daytime hours. Proper documentation and clear policies are essential to avoid disputes and ensure compliance.

Night work in Chad is generally understood as work performed between 22:00 and 05:00, although collective agreements may define a slightly different window. This definition applies across most roles, including industrial, service, and security work, unless a specific sectoral rule states otherwise. Employees who regularly work during this night period are considered night workers and may be entitled to additional protections.

• Premium Pay: While Chadian law does not set a single uniform statutory night work premium, night work is commonly compensated at 125% of the normal hourly wage, meaning 1.25x the base rate, under collective agreements or company policies. In some sectors, such as security or healthcare, night hours may be paid at 150% of the base rate, and you should always apply the most favorable applicable rule.
• Health Monitoring: Regular night workers should be offered periodic health assessments to monitor fatigue, sleep disorders, and other risks associated with night schedules. You should also consider rotating shifts and providing information on healthy sleep practices to reduce long-term health impacts.
• Workplace Restrictions: Minors under 18 are generally prohibited from night work, especially in hazardous environments. Pregnant workers and new mothers should be protected from night shifts where medical advice indicates a risk, and you may need to reassign them to daytime duties without loss of pay.

Weekend work in Chad often involves Sunday, which is typically treated as the main weekly rest day. When employees are required to work on Sunday, you must provide an alternative 24-hour rest period during the week and apply overtime or premium pay, which is commonly set at 200% of the normal hourly wage, or 2.0x the base rate, for Sunday or public holiday work. Clear scheduling and written consent for regular weekend work help demonstrate that you respect employees’ rest rights while meeting business needs.