Working Hours and Overtime in Gambia

What Are The Standard Working Hours In Gambia?

An employee whose age is 18 or younger has a maximum of 6 hours per day and 30 hours per week. An employee whose age is 19 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 5 consecutive hours in a day. In typical working hours, Monday through Friday, the hours are 8:00 to 16:00.

Maximum Working Hours In Gambia

Under Gambian labour practice, the standard limit for adult employees is 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week, usually spread over six working days. Employers should structure schedules so that the daily hours and weekly total do not regularly exceed these benchmarks, unless a lawful overtime arrangement is in place. Any variation should be clearly documented in employment contracts or internal policies.

Collective agreements or company policies may introduce shorter standard weeks, such as 40 or 44 hours, but they cannot lawfully increase hours beyond statutory norms without treating the excess as overtime. Employers must maintain accurate time records for all staff to demonstrate compliance with daily and weekly limits. Failure to keep proper records can make it difficult to defend against claims of excessive hours or unpaid overtime.

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 shift-based operations, which can lead to irregular start and finish times while still respecting the overall weekly limits. You should use shift rosters and rotation systems to avoid fatigue and ensure that average hours remain within legal boundaries.

In practice, employers in these sectors may rely on averaging arrangements over a reference period, such as several weeks, to balance peak and quiet periods. Any such arrangements should be agreed in writing and must not result in employees regularly exceeding 8 hours per day without overtime pay. You should also ensure that night and weekend shifts comply with specific protections for vulnerable workers.

• 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 monitor rosters to ensure that extended shifts are offset by longer rest periods or lighter weeks. Written policies and consultation with employees help demonstrate that you are managing these exceptions responsibly.

Managerial And Exempt Employees

Senior managers and certain high-level professionals in Gambia may not be subject to the same strict hour-by-hour controls as rank-and-file staff, but they are still protected against clearly excessive working hours. Their contracts often provide for a global salary that is deemed to cover a reasonable amount of additional time beyond the standard 48-hour week. You should avoid assuming that managerial status alone removes all limits on working time.

To reduce risk, clearly define expected working hours and availability in managerial contracts, including how much additional time is considered included in the salary. If managers are required to work substantially beyond normal hours on a regular basis, you should consider either adjusting compensation or introducing explicit overtime or time-off-in-lieu arrangements. Transparent expectations help prevent disputes over workload and unpaid hours.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Gambia

In Gambia, full-time employment is generally based on a 48-hour working week for adult employees, typically spread over six days. Many employers, especially in offices and international organizations, voluntarily adopt a 40-hour or 44-hour week to align with global standards. Any arrangement that significantly reduces weekly hours should be clearly described as part-time or reduced-time to avoid ambiguity.

Part-time employees work fewer hours than the full-time benchmark, but their entitlements to leave and other benefits are usually pro-rated according to hours worked. Flexible arrangements, such as compressed weeks or variable daily hours, are permissible if the average does not exceed 48 hours per week and daily limits are respected. Always document these patterns in writing and ensure that overtime is tracked and compensated where applicable.

Overtime Regulations In Gambia

Employers in Gambia must treat any work performed beyond the agreed normal hours, typically 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week, as overtime and manage it carefully. You are expected to keep accurate records of hours worked, overtime requested or approved, and payments made at the appropriate premium rates. Non-compliance can expose your business to back-pay claims, penalties, and reputational damage with both employees and regulators.

What Counts As Overtime In Gambia?

Overtime in Gambia generally arises when an employee works beyond the standard daily limit of 8 hours or the weekly limit of 48 hours for full-time staff. Work performed on a weekly rest day, typically Sunday, or on a public holiday is also treated as overtime, even if the total weekly hours remain within 48. You should obtain prior approval for overtime and clearly communicate when employees are being asked to work beyond their normal schedule.

For shift-based operations, overtime is usually calculated by comparing actual hours worked in the pay period against the contractual or statutory norm. Any additional hours beyond that norm should be compensated at the applicable premium rate, such as 1.5x or 2.0x of the basic hourly wage. Make sure your payroll system can distinguish between regular hours, rest-day work, and public holiday work.

Maximum Overtime In Gambia

Gambian labour rules commonly limit overtime to 4 hours per day and 12 hours per week on top of the standard 48 hours, resulting in an absolute weekly maximum of 60 hours. Over a longer reference period, such as three months, you should ensure that average weekly hours do not exceed 48 hours plus a reasonable overtime margin. These limits are designed to protect employee health and safety and should not be exceeded as a matter of routine.

Where exceptional business needs arise, some employers seek prior agreement with employees or, where applicable, with unions to temporarily increase overtime, but this should still remain within the 12 hours per week cap. If you anticipate sustained peaks that would push staff beyond these levels, you should consider hiring additional employees or using temporary staff instead of relying on continuous overtime. Clearly documenting overtime caps in contracts and policies helps demonstrate compliance.

Overtime Payout Rates In Gambia

In Gambia, a common statutory benchmark is that overtime worked on ordinary working days is paid at a minimum of 150% of the employee’s basic hourly rate, that is 1.5x pay. Work performed on the weekly rest day, usually Sunday, is typically paid at 200% of the basic hourly rate, or 2.0x pay. Public holiday work is often compensated at 250% of the basic hourly rate, equivalent to 2.5x pay, reflecting its exceptional nature.

If your internal policies or collective agreements provide higher rates, such as 175% for weekday overtime or 225% for Sunday work, those more favourable terms will apply. You should clearly state the applicable multipliers in employment contracts and ensure that payroll calculations consistently apply 1.5x, 2.0x, or 2.5x as required. Where time off in lieu is used, it should be granted at the same enhanced rate, for example 1.5 hours off for each 1 hour of weekday overtime.

Rest Periods And Breaks In Gambia

In Gambia, employees typically work up to 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week, and rest periods are structured around these limits to protect health and productivity. Daily shifts must be interrupted by a meal break once an employee has worked more than 5 consecutive hours, and weekly schedules must include at least one full rest day. As an employer, you should design rosters so that breaks and rest periods are predictable and clearly communicated to staff.

• Meal Break: Employees who work more than 5 consecutive hours in Gambia are generally entitled to a meal break of at least 60 minutes, which should not be split into multiple short pauses without consent. You should schedule this break roughly in the middle of the shift to reduce fatigue.
• Daily Rest: Workers should receive a minimum uninterrupted daily rest period of 11 hours between the end of one workday and the start of the next. This means you should avoid scheduling late-night work followed by an early-morning shift.
• Weekly Rest: Employees are normally entitled to at least 24 consecutive hours of weekly rest, commonly taken on Sunday in Gambia. If business needs require Sunday work, you should provide a substitute rest day during the same week.
• Minors: Young workers under 18 must have shorter daily hours and longer rest periods than adults, including more frequent breaks during long shifts. You should avoid scheduling minors for evening or night work that could interfere with schooling or health.
• Employer Duty: Employers are responsible for organizing work so that statutory breaks and rest periods are actually taken, not just written into policies. You should keep rosters and attendance records that show compliance with daily and weekly rest requirements.

Night Shifts And Weekend Regulations In Gambia

Night and weekend work are legal in Gambia but subject to additional employer responsibilities and employee protections. You must pay particular attention to working-time limits, health and safety risks, and fair compensation when scheduling staff outside normal daytime hours. Clear policies and consent-based scheduling help reduce disputes and demonstrate compliance.

Night work in Gambia is commonly defined as work performed between 22:00 and 06:00, regardless of the sector or role. This definition applies to both hourly and salaried staff who regularly perform duties during this time window. Employees who frequently work during these hours should receive appropriate compensation and monitoring.

• Premium Pay: There is no explicit statutory night work premium in Gambia, but many employers pay at least 125% of the basic hourly rate, or 1.25x, for hours worked between 22:00 and 06:00. Some sectors, such as security or healthcare, may offer higher premiums of 150% or 1.5x under collective or company agreements.
• Health Monitoring: While not always mandated by detailed regulations, employers are expected to monitor the health of regular night workers through periodic medical checks or health questionnaires. You should pay special attention to fatigue, sleep disorders, and other conditions that can be aggravated by night work.
• Workplace Restrictions: Minors under 18 should not normally be employed in night work between 22:00 and 06:00, except in narrowly defined training situations with safeguards. Pregnant workers and new mothers should be exempted from night shifts on request and offered alternative daytime duties where possible.

Weekend work, particularly on Sunday, is generally treated as work on a weekly rest day in Gambia and should be minimized where possible. When employees are required to work on Sunday, you should either provide a substitute 24-hour rest period during the same week or compensate the hours at a premium rate, commonly 200% or 2.0x of the basic hourly wage. Public holiday work on weekends is often paid even higher, at around 250% or 2.5x, or matched with equivalent enhanced time off in lieu.