Working Hours and Overtime in Equatorial Guinea

In Equatorial Guinea, 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 you plan workforce needs through 2026, expect closer scrutiny of how you record working time, manage overtime, and protect employee health and safety. Clear internal policies, accurate timekeeping systems, and transparent communication with employees will be essential to demonstrate compliance, especially around night work, rest periods, and work on weekly rest days and public holidays. Aligning your practices with these rules not only reduces legal and financial risk but also supports retention and productivity.

• 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 Equatorial Guinea?

An employee whose age is 16 or younger has a maximum of 6 hours per day and 30 hours per week. An employee whose age is 17 or older is allowed to work 48 hours per week. A minimum meal interval of 60 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 17:00.

Maximum Working Hours In Equatorial Guinea

In Equatorial Guinea, the standard legal working time for adult employees is generally 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week, spread over no more than 6 days. Employers should design work schedules so that the daily limit is not exceeded on a regular basis and any additional hours are clearly treated as overtime. Part-time arrangements are permitted, but you should document the agreed weekly hours in the employment contract and ensure that any work beyond those hours is compensated in line with local rules and the contract.

Industry-Specific Exceptions

• Continuous-Process Industries And Oil & Gas Operations
• Hospital, Emergency, And Health Services
• Hospitality, Tourism, And Catering Services
• Security, Guarding, And Surveillance Services
• Transport, Ports, And Aviation Services

Managerial And Exempt Employees

Senior managers and employees in positions of trust often have greater flexibility in their schedules and may not be subject to strict hourly tracking in Equatorial Guinea. However, you should not assume that managerial status automatically removes all protections. Clearly define managerial or exempt status in the employment contract, describe expected working patterns, and ensure that workloads remain reasonable. Where managers regularly work beyond the standard 48-hour week, you should consider compensatory rest, additional pay, or bonuses to reduce legal and employee-relations risks.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Equatorial Guinea

Full-time employment in Equatorial Guinea is typically based on the statutory maximum of 48 hours per week for adult workers, usually organized as 8 hours per day over 6 days or 8–9 hours per day over 5 days with adjusted schedules. When setting full-time contracts, specify the normal daily and weekly hours, the distribution of hours across the week, and how overtime will be authorized and compensated. Maintaining accurate time records for all full-time staff is essential for demonstrating compliance with working-time and overtime rules.

Overtime Regulations In Equatorial Guinea

What Counts As Overtime In Equatorial Guinea?

In Equatorial Guinea, overtime generally refers to any hours worked by an employee beyond the statutory standard of 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week for adult workers. Overtime must be expressly requested or approved by the employer, and you should avoid informal practices where employees extend their working day without clear authorization. Work performed on weekly rest days or public holidays is usually treated as overtime or special work and should attract higher pay or compensatory rest, depending on the agreement and applicable rules.

Maximum Overtime In Equatorial Guinea

Overtime should be exceptional and not used to systematically replace proper staffing. While specific caps can vary by sector and collective agreement, a common approach is to limit overtime to a modest number of hours per day and per week, and to respect an overall monthly or annual ceiling to protect employee health and safety. As an employer, you should implement internal policies that define when overtime is allowed, who can authorize it, and how you will ensure that employees still receive their minimum daily and weekly rest periods.

Overtime Payout Rates In Equatorial Guinea

Overtime in Equatorial Guinea is typically paid at a premium rate above the employee’s normal hourly wage. Higher multipliers are often applied for night work, work performed on weekly rest days, and work on public holidays. To remain compliant and competitive, you should clearly state overtime rates in employment contracts or internal regulations, ensure that payroll systems correctly calculate premiums based on actual hours worked, and keep detailed records of overtime authorizations and payments. Where permitted, you may also agree with employees on compensatory time off in lieu of paid overtime, provided the arrangement is documented and the time off is granted within a reasonable period.

Rest Periods And Breaks In Equatorial Guinea

Employees in Equatorial Guinea typically work up to 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week, and rest periods are designed to ensure that these working hours do not compromise health and safety. During the working day, employees who work more than 6 hours must receive a meal break, and employers must also respect minimum daily and weekly rest periods between shifts and workweeks. These rules apply across sectors, with additional protections for minors and specific employer duties to organize schedules, record working time, and prevent excessive or unsafe working patterns.

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