Working Hours and Overtime in Comoros

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

In Comoros, the statutory standard working time for adult employees is generally 40 hours per week, usually spread over five or six days. Daily working time is commonly limited to 8 hours, and any work beyond these thresholds is treated as overtime. Employers must structure schedules so that employees do not routinely exceed these limits without proper overtime authorization.

Collective agreements or company policies may distribute the 40-hour weekly limit differently across the week, provided the average does not exceed 40 hours over the agreed reference period. Employers are responsible for keeping accurate time records to demonstrate compliance with daily and weekly limits. You should also ensure written employment contracts clearly state normal working hours, overtime conditions, and any flexible or shift arrangements.

Industry-Specific Exceptions

Companies hiring in sectors like healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, or hospitality may be subject to special scheduling rules. These sectors often require continuous or 24/7 coverage, which can justify longer daily shifts or irregular patterns, provided that weekly averages and rest requirements are respected. Employers must still comply with the general 40-hour weekly standard unless a lawful derogation or collective agreement provides otherwise.

• 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. Where longer shifts are used, you should provide compensatory rest and monitor fatigue risks. Written shift rosters and clear internal rules are essential to demonstrate that industry-specific flexibility does not undermine employee health and safety.

Managerial And Exempt Employees

Senior managerial staff in Comoros may enjoy greater flexibility in how and when they perform their work, and some may not be subject to strict hourly tracking in practice. However, the underlying statutory framework on working time and rest still applies unless a specific legal exemption is clearly established. Employers should avoid assuming that all managers are automatically exempt from working-hour protections.

Employment contracts for managerial and other potentially exempt employees should explicitly describe expected working patterns, availability outside normal hours, and any flat-rate compensation that covers overtime. Where managers regularly work beyond 40 hours per week, you should assess workload and consider either adjusting staffing levels or formalizing overtime or allowance arrangements. Transparent documentation reduces the risk of later disputes over unpaid hours.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Comoros

In Comoros, full-time employment is generally based on a 40-hour workweek for adult employees. This is typically organized as five 8-hour days or six slightly shorter days, depending on sectoral practice and any applicable collective agreement. Any reduction or increase from this benchmark should be clearly documented in the employment contract.

Part-time arrangements involve working fewer than 40 hours per week, with entitlements such as leave and benefits usually prorated according to hours worked. Employers may also use flexible or staggered schedules, provided the average weekly hours do not exceed 40 and all mandatory rest periods are respected. Clear communication of status as full-time or part-time helps ensure consistent treatment and compliance.

Overtime Regulations In Comoros

Overtime in Comoros must be carefully managed, as employers are required to respect statutory limits on working time and to compensate additional hours at enhanced rates. You should maintain accurate daily and weekly records of hours worked for each employee, including overtime, night work, and work on weekly rest days or public holidays. Failure to document and pay overtime correctly can lead to back-pay claims, administrative penalties, and reputational risk.

What Counts As Overtime In Comoros?

In Comoros, overtime for adult employees generally begins once an employee works more than 8 hours in a day or more than 40 hours in a week. Hours worked beyond these thresholds are treated as overtime and must be compensated at the applicable premium rate. Work performed on the employee’s weekly rest day or on a public holiday is also treated as overtime, even if the 40-hour weekly limit has not yet been reached.

Employers should obtain prior authorization for overtime, either through internal approval procedures or as set out in collective agreements. You must also distinguish between occasional overtime and systematically extended hours, as persistent reliance on overtime may indicate understaffing and can attract scrutiny from labor authorities. Clear policies on when overtime is permitted and how it is compensated help prevent disputes.

Maximum Overtime In Comoros

Comorian labor rules generally limit overtime to 2 hours per day, meaning a practical daily maximum of 10 hours for adult employees. On a weekly basis, overtime is typically capped at 20 hours, so total working time should not exceed 60 hours in any given week. Employers should plan staffing so that these limits are only reached in exceptional circumstances rather than as a routine practice.

Over a longer reference period, many employers apply an annual ceiling of 200 overtime hours per employee to remain within safe and reasonable limits. If business needs require exceeding 20 hours of overtime in a week or 200 hours in a year, you should seek prior authorization from the labor inspectorate and consult with employee representatives where they exist. Exceeding these numerical caps without approval can be treated as a breach of working-time regulations.

Overtime Payout Rates In Comoros

In Comoros, standard overtime worked on a normal working day is commonly paid at a premium of 125% of the employee’s basic hourly rate, equivalent to 1.25x pay. When overtime is performed at night, the combined premium typically reaches 150% of the basic hourly rate, or 1.5x pay, to reflect the additional burden of night work. Employers should calculate these premiums based on the employee’s regular wage excluding one-off bonuses.

Work performed on the weekly rest day or on a public holiday is usually compensated at 200% of the basic hourly rate, or 2.0x pay, in recognition of the loss of rest or holiday time. Where collective agreements or company policies provide higher rates, such as 175% (1.75x) for Sunday work or 250% (2.5x) for certain public holidays, you must apply the more favorable terms. All overtime payments should be itemized clearly on payslips so employees can verify the hours and rates applied.

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 protect health and safety within this framework. During and between these working hours, employers must provide meal breaks, daily rest, and weekly rest so that total working time does not become excessive. Properly structured breaks are also essential to managing overtime and night work in a compliant way.

• Meal Break: Employees who work more than 6 consecutive hours in Comoros must receive at least a 30-minute uninterrupted meal break. This break should be scheduled so that employees do not work excessively long stretches without rest.
• 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. Employers should organize shifts so that this daily rest is not routinely reduced.
• Weekly Rest: Employees must receive at least 24 consecutive hours of weekly rest, typically including Sunday as the main rest day in Comoros. When business needs require Sunday work, a substitute rest day of at least 24 hours should be granted in the same week.
• Minors: Workers under 18 in Comoros are subject to stricter rest rules, including shorter daily limits and longer rest periods between shifts. Employers must avoid scheduling minors for night work or extended overtime.
• Employer Duty: Employers in Comoros are responsible for planning schedules and monitoring attendance to ensure all statutory breaks and rest periods are respected. Failure to provide these rests can lead to enforcement action and claims for damages.

Night Shifts And Weekend Regulations In Comoros

Night and weekend work are legal in Comoros but subject to additional employer responsibilities and employee protections. You must pay particular attention to working-time limits, rest periods, and any applicable premium rates when scheduling staff outside normal daytime hours. Proper planning and documentation are essential to demonstrate compliance.

Night work in Comoros is generally understood as work performed between 21:00 and 05:00, although collective agreements may refine this window. Employees who perform a substantial portion of their hours within this period are considered night workers and may be entitled to specific protections. These protections include premium pay, health monitoring, and limits on consecutive night shifts.

• Premium Pay: Regular night work in Comoros is commonly compensated at 150% of the basic hourly rate, equivalent to 1.5x pay, for hours worked between 21:00 and 05:00. If night work coincides with a public holiday or weekly rest day, total compensation may reach 200% (2.0x) or more where collective agreements apply.
• Health Monitoring: Employers should offer periodic health assessments to employees who regularly work night shifts in Comoros, focusing on fatigue, sleep disorders, and related risks. Where medical advice indicates that night work is unsuitable, you should consider reassignment to daytime duties where feasible.
• Workplace Restrictions: In Comoros, minors are generally prohibited from night work, particularly between 21:00 and 05:00, except for narrowly defined exceptions. Pregnant workers should not be required to perform night shifts, and any request to do so should be strictly voluntary and medically cleared.

Weekend work, especially on Sunday, is treated as work on the usual weekly rest day in Comoros and should be limited to cases of necessity or continuous operations. Employees who work on Sunday are typically entitled to a substitute rest day of at least 24 consecutive hours and premium pay of around 150% to 200% of the basic hourly rate, depending on sectoral rules. Employers must clearly record Sunday and public-holiday work and ensure that compensatory rest and premiums are granted without delay.