Working Hours and Overtime in Georgia

In Georgia, 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 schedules through 2026, you should expect closer scrutiny of working-time practices, more emphasis on accurate timekeeping, and growing expectations around employee wellbeing. Establish clear internal policies that reflect Georgian labour law, train managers on scheduling and overtime approval, and regularly audit working hours, rest periods, and pay calculations to ensure that your practices remain compliant as regulations and enforcement priorities evolve.

• 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 Georgia?

An employee whose age is 16 or younger has a maximum of 6 hours per day and 36 hours per week. An employee whose age is 18 or older is allowed to work 40 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 9:00 to 18:00.

Maximum Working Hours In Georgia

Under Georgian labour legislation, the standard working week for adult employees is generally capped at 40 hours, not including overtime. A standard workday is usually 8 hours, although you may distribute hours differently across the week as long as the weekly limit and rest requirements are respected. For minors, stricter limits apply – you must not schedule employees aged 16 or younger for more than 6 hours per day or 36 hours per week, and you should avoid night work and hazardous tasks for younger workers.

Industry-Specific Exceptions

• Healthcare And Emergency Services
• Transport And Logistics Operations
• Hospitality, Tourism, And Catering
• Continuous Production And Manufacturing
• Security, Guarding, And Surveillance

Managerial And Exempt Employees

In Georgia, senior managers and certain highly autonomous employees may have more flexible schedules, and their working time is often determined by individual employment contracts rather than strict hourly tracking. However, you should not assume that all managers are automatically exempt from working-time protections. Clearly define duties, decision-making authority, and remuneration in the contract, and specify whether the role is subject to standard working-hour limits or a more flexible regime. Even where tracking is relaxed, you remain responsible for preventing excessive working hours that could endanger health and safety and for ensuring that minimum daily and weekly rest periods are respected.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Georgia

Full-time employment in Georgia is typically based on a 40-hour workweek, most commonly structured as five 8-hour days from Monday to Friday. You may adopt alternative schedules – such as compressed weeks or rotating shifts – provided that the average weekly hours do not exceed statutory limits and that employees receive the required breaks and rest periods. Any hours worked beyond the agreed full-time schedule should be treated as overtime and compensated or time-off-in-lieu in line with Georgian labour law and the employment contract.

Overtime Regulations In Georgia

What Counts As Overtime In Georgia?

In Georgia, overtime generally refers to any working time performed beyond the normal hours agreed in the employment contract, which for full-time employees is usually based on the 40-hour statutory workweek. Overtime can arise when employees work longer days, additional shifts, or are called in outside their regular schedule. You should define standard hours and overtime triggers clearly in contracts and internal policies, and obtain the employee’s consent to overtime except in narrowly defined urgent or emergency situations where business continuity or safety is at risk.

Maximum Overtime In Georgia

While Georgian law allows employers and employees to agree on overtime, you must ensure that total working time – standard hours plus overtime – does not become excessive or compromise health and safety. As a best practice, keep weekly working time, including overtime, within a reasonable ceiling such as 48 hours on average over a reference period, and avoid scheduling long stretches of consecutive days without weekly rest. For minors and pregnant employees, overtime should be avoided, and you must comply with any medical or statutory restrictions that limit their ability to work beyond normal hours.

Overtime Payout Rates In Georgia

Overtime in Georgia must be compensated at a higher rate than regular working hours or offset with equivalent paid time off, as agreed in the employment contract or collective agreement. Many employers adopt a premium of at least 125 percent of the employee’s regular hourly rate for overtime hours, and higher multipliers for work performed at night, on weekly rest days, or on public holidays. To remain compliant and avoid disputes, set out overtime rates, calculation methods, and approval procedures in writing, maintain accurate time records, and ensure that payroll systems correctly apply the agreed premiums to all qualifying hours.

Rest Periods And Breaks In Georgia

In Georgia, employees typically work around 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week, and you must organize rest periods and breaks so that these hours do not negatively affect health, safety, or productivity. Employees who work more than 6 hours in a day must receive at least a 60-minute meal break, and you should also ensure adequate short pauses during demanding work, sufficient daily rest between shifts, and regular weekly rest days so that total working time – including any overtime – remains within safe and legally compliant limits.

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