Working Hours and Overtime in Croatia

What Are The Standard Working Hours In Croatia?

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 8:00 to 16:00.

Maximum Working Hours In Croatia

Under the Croatian Labour Act, standard full-time work is limited to 40 hours per week, usually spread over five working days. Daily working time is commonly organized as 8 hours per day, and any extension must comply with overtime rules. Employers must clearly define working schedules in employment contracts or internal regulations.

Working time can be unevenly distributed over a reference period, but the average must not exceed 40 hours per week. When using uneven schedules, employers must consult with employee representatives and provide written work schedules in advance. Records of working time, including overtime, must be kept accurately and retained for inspection by the labour inspectorate.

Industry-Specific Exceptions

Companies hiring in sectors like healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, or hospitality may be subject to special scheduling rules. These rules often allow for longer daily shifts, such as 10–12 hours, provided that statutory daily and weekly rest periods are respected and overtime limits are not exceeded. Collective agreements in these sectors may further refine how shifts, rotations, and on-call time are organized.

Even in these sectors, you must ensure the average weekly limit is respected over a reference period. Employers must also ensure that employees receive appropriate compensatory rest when schedules are compressed or when split shifts are used. Any derogations from general rules must be grounded in the Labour Act, collective agreements, or specific regulations for the sector.

• 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. Employers should regularly review rosters to ensure that the combination of standard hours, overtime, and night work does not exceed legal thresholds. Failure to do so can lead to administrative fines and orders to adjust working schedules.

Managerial And Exempt Employees

Croatian law allows certain managerial employees with significant decision-making authority to have more flexible working time arrangements. However, there is no blanket exemption from working-time protections, and even managers are generally subject to the 40-hour weekly standard and overtime limits. Employment contracts for managers should clearly describe expected working patterns and any agreed flexibility.

Where managers receive higher fixed salaries that already factor in a reasonable amount of overtime, this must still respect statutory caps and health and safety obligations. Employers should avoid assuming that a managerial title alone removes the need to track hours or pay overtime where legally due. Transparent documentation and clear internal policies help reduce disputes over working time for senior staff.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Croatia

Statutory full-time work in Croatia is defined as 40 hours per week. Employers may agree on part-time arrangements below this threshold, but such arrangements must be explicitly stated in the employment contract. Any change from full-time to part-time or vice versa requires written consent from the employee.

Collective agreements or internal rules can set shorter full-time hours, such as 37.5 hours per week, while maintaining full-time status. In such cases, overtime is generally triggered once the agreed full-time threshold is exceeded, even if it is below 40 hours. Employers should align payroll and timekeeping systems with the specific full-time definition used in their organization.

Overtime Regulations In Croatia

Employers in Croatia may require overtime only in exceptional, justified cases and must comply with strict legal limits. You are obliged to keep precise records of all overtime hours and the reasons for ordering them, and to retain this documentation for labour inspections. Non-compliance with overtime rules exposes you to financial penalties, back-pay claims, and potential reputational damage.

What Counts As Overtime In Croatia?

Overtime in Croatia is any work performed above the contracted full-time schedule, which is typically 40 hours per week, or above a shorter full-time schedule set by a collective agreement or internal act. Work performed beyond the daily or weekly schedule in an uneven distribution system also counts as overtime once the average exceeds the agreed full-time hours over the reference period. Work performed on a weekly rest day or public holiday is treated as overtime and attracts statutory premium pay.

Overtime must be ordered or at least explicitly approved by the employer, either in writing or through a documented instruction. Employees generally cannot unilaterally decide to work overtime and then claim overtime pay without prior authorization. Employers should implement clear internal procedures for approving and recording overtime to avoid disputes.

Maximum Overtime In Croatia

Under the Croatian Labour Act, overtime is limited to a maximum of 10 hours per week per employee. This means that in weeks when overtime is used, total working time may reach up to 50 hours, combining standard hours and overtime. Employers must monitor weekly totals to ensure that this 10-hour overtime ceiling is not exceeded.

In addition to the weekly limit, overtime is capped at 180 hours per year per employee, which may be increased up to 250 hours per year by collective agreement, with employee consent. For a temporary increase in workload affecting multiple employees, the employer may, with employee council consultation, extend overtime up to 280 hours per year, but this must be justified and documented. You must also ensure that daily and weekly rest periods are not compromised when scheduling overtime.

Overtime Payout Rates In Croatia

Croatian law requires that overtime be paid at a higher rate than regular hours, and the commonly applied statutory minimum premium is at least 50% above the basic hourly wage, meaning overtime is paid at 150% (1.5x) of the regular rate. Collective agreements or employer policies may grant higher premiums, such as 60% or 100%, but never less than the statutory minimum. The premium must be calculated on the employee’s base salary plus any elements defined as part of the regular wage in the applicable agreement.

Work performed on Sundays and weekly rest days typically attracts at least a 35% premium, so pay is at least 135% (1.35x) of the regular rate, while work on public holidays is commonly compensated with at least a 50% premium, or 150% (1.5x) of the regular rate, in addition to the right to a substitute rest day. If Sunday or holiday work is also overtime, employers must ensure that the combined compensation is not less than the highest applicable premium, and many collective agreements explicitly provide 50%–100% premiums for such hours. You should clearly codify these rates in contracts or internal rules and reflect them accurately in payroll calculations.

Rest Periods And Breaks In Croatia

In Croatia, standard full-time employees typically work 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week, and rest periods are structured around this pattern to protect health and safety. Employees who work more than 6 hours in a day are entitled to a paid meal break, and they must also receive uninterrupted daily and weekly rest. As an employer, you must organize schedules so that these breaks and rest periods are actually taken in practice, not just on paper.

• Meal Break: Employees who work at least 6 hours per day are entitled to a meal break of at least 30 minutes, which is generally counted as working time and must be scheduled so it does not fall at the very start or end of the shift.
• Daily Rest: Employees must receive a minimum of 12 consecutive hours of rest in every 24-hour period, and any derogations allowed by law or collective agreement must be compensated with equivalent rest.
• Weekly Rest: Employees are entitled to at least 24 consecutive hours of weekly rest, usually on Sunday, which must be added to the daily rest so that the total uninterrupted rest is at least 36 hours.
• Minors: Workers under 18 years of age are entitled to at least 14 consecutive hours of daily rest and at least 48 consecutive hours of weekly rest, which must generally include Sunday.
• Employer Duty: Employers must design work schedules and shift patterns to guarantee these minimum rest periods, keep records demonstrating compliance, and adjust rosters promptly if rest has been reduced due to exceptional circumstances.

Night Shifts And Weekend Regulations In Croatia

Night and weekend work are legal in Croatia but subject to additional employer responsibilities and employee protections. You must pay statutory or collectively agreed premiums, monitor health and safety risks, and ensure that rest periods are not undermined by night or weekend scheduling.

Night work in Croatia is generally defined as work performed between 22:00 and 6:00, and an employee who works at least 3 hours during this period or at least one third of their annual hours at night is considered a night worker. This definition applies across most roles, although specific sectors such as transport or healthcare may have additional rules under special regulations or collective agreements.

• Premium Pay: Night work must be compensated with a premium that is commonly set at a minimum of 30% above the basic hourly wage, meaning night hours are paid at least 130% (1.3x) of the regular rate, and many collective agreements provide higher percentages for night shifts.
• Health Monitoring: Regular night workers are entitled to periodic health assessments, typically at the employer’s expense, to identify any adverse effects of night work and to enable transfer to day work where medically indicated.
• Workplace Restrictions: Minors are generally prohibited from night work, and pregnant or breastfeeding workers must not be required to work at night if a medical certificate or their request indicates that such work would endanger their health or that of the child.

Weekend work, particularly on Sundays and the designated weekly rest day, is restricted and must be justified by the nature of the activity, such as continuous operations or retail under specific rules. Employees who work on Sundays typically receive at least a 35% premium, so pay is at least 135% (1.35x) of the regular rate, and work on public holidays usually attracts at least a 50% premium, or 150% (1.5x), along with a substitute rest day when weekly rest is affected.