Working Hours and Overtime in Comoros

In Comoros, 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 definitions of overtime and night work, and stronger enforcement of rest and safety standards. Proactively aligning your policies with statutory limits, documenting approvals for overtime, and ensuring transparent pay calculations will help you avoid 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 Comoros?

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 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 Comoros

Under general labor principles applied in Comoros, the statutory full-time schedule is typically capped at 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week for adult employees. You should organize work so that employees do not regularly exceed these limits, except under clearly defined overtime arrangements. Daily schedules can be distributed across five or six days, but the total weekly hours – including any overtime – must remain within legal and contractually agreed ceilings. For minors, stricter limits apply, and night work or excessively long shifts should be avoided to protect their health and safety.

Industry-Specific Exceptions

• Hospital And Health Services
• Hotels, Tourism, And Hospitality
• Transport, Ports, And Maritime Services
• Agriculture, Fishing, And Seasonal Activities
• Security, Guarding, And Emergency Services

Managerial And Exempt Employees

Senior managers and certain highly autonomous professionals in Comoros may be treated differently from standard hourly staff. Their remuneration is often structured on a global or monthly salary basis that already factors in a higher level of responsibility and irregular hours. Even where managers are exempt from some overtime rules, you should still monitor their workload, respect reasonable daily and weekly limits, and ensure they receive adequate rest. Clearly define in employment contracts whether a role is managerial or exempt, describe expected working patterns, and avoid using exempt status to justify systematically excessive hours.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Comoros

For most sectors in Comoros, full-time employment is based on a standard of 40 hours per week, usually spread over five 8-hour days. Part-time arrangements should be expressed as a proportion of this benchmark, with entitlements such as leave and benefits prorated accordingly. When designing work schedules, align your internal policies, employee handbooks, and contracts with the 40-hour standard, and specify how any additional hours will be authorized, recorded, and compensated in line with applicable labor rules.

Overtime Regulations In Comoros

What Counts As Overtime In Comoros?

In Comoros, overtime generally refers to any working time performed beyond the statutory or contractually agreed normal hours – typically more than 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week for a full-time employee. Overtime must be expressly requested or approved by the employer, recorded accurately, and compensated either through premium pay or, where permitted and agreed, equivalent time off in lieu. You should distinguish clearly between occasional extra hours, regular overtime, and emergency work, and ensure that all such time is captured in your timekeeping systems.

Maximum Overtime In Comoros

While Comorian labor practice allows employers to use overtime to meet peak demand, it is not intended to replace proper staffing. As a compliance benchmark, you should avoid scheduling more than 2 hours of overtime per day and more than 10 hours of overtime per week for any individual employee, and you should respect an annual ceiling that keeps total working time within safe limits. Overtime should be exceptional, justified by operational needs, and never result in employees being deprived of their daily and weekly rest periods.

Overtime Payout Rates In Comoros

Overtime in Comoros is typically compensated at a premium rate calculated on the employee’s regular hourly wage. Common practice is to apply at least a 25% increase for the first block of overtime hours and higher rates – for example 50% or more – for work performed at night, on weekly rest days, or on public holidays. Your internal policies should specify the exact multipliers, how the base hourly rate is determined for salaried staff, and whether time off in lieu is available by written agreement. Always communicate overtime rules in employment contracts and payslips so employees understand how their additional hours are rewarded.

Rest Periods And Breaks In Comoros

In Comoros, employees typically work up to 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week, and rest periods are designed to ensure that these hours are performed safely and sustainably. As an employer, you must integrate meal breaks into the daily schedule, guarantee uninterrupted daily and weekly rest, and pay particular attention to vulnerable groups such as minors so that the overall pattern of work and rest remains compliant and does not compromise employee health.

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