Working Hours and Overtime in Georgia

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 law, the standard working time for adult employees is generally capped at 40 hours per week, excluding overtime. Daily working hours are usually organized as 8-hour days over a 5-day workweek, unless a different distribution is agreed in the employment contract or internal regulations. You must clearly define working schedules in writing and communicate them to employees in advance.

For minors aged 16 to 18, the maximum is 36 hours per week and 6 hours per day, and they cannot be scheduled beyond these limits. Employees in hazardous or particularly hard work are often limited to 36 hours per week by internal regulations or collective agreements, and you should document any such classification. Any change to established working hours requires prior notice and, where applicable, consultation with employee representatives.

Industry-Specific Exceptions

Companies hiring in sectors like healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, or hospitality may be subject to special scheduling rules. In practice, these sectors often rely on shift work, split shifts, or 24/7 coverage, which means daily hours may exceed 8 on some days as long as the average weekly limit is respected over a reference period. You should use written shift schedules and keep accurate records to demonstrate compliance.

• 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. When using irregular or compressed schedules, you should define the reference period in contracts or policies and ensure employees receive equivalent rest and pay over that period.

Managerial And Exempt Employees

Georgian law allows some flexibility for senior managers and highly autonomous employees, who may not be subject to strict hourly tracking if they control their own schedules. However, there is no blanket exemption from maximum working time rules, and you remain responsible for preventing excessive hours that could endanger health and safety. Employment contracts for such staff should clearly state whether they are on a fixed schedule or a task-based regime.

Where a task-based regime is used, you must ensure that the workload can reasonably be completed within the equivalent of standard working hours. If managers regularly work beyond the normal 40-hour week, you should address this through higher base pay or clearly agreed overtime or bonus schemes. Transparent documentation reduces the risk of disputes over unpaid hours.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Georgia

In Georgia, full-time work is generally understood as 40 hours per week for adult employees. This is typically structured as 8 hours per day over 5 days, but you may adopt alternative patterns such as 10-hour days over 4 days if employees receive equivalent weekly hours and rest. Any such arrangements should be expressly agreed in writing.

Part-time work is any schedule below the 40-hour weekly standard, and part-time employees must receive pay and benefits pro-rated to their working time. You may also use flexible or variable hours, provided the average does not exceed 40 hours per week over the agreed reference period. Clear internal rules and timekeeping systems are essential to demonstrate that full-time limits are respected.

Overtime Regulations In Georgia

In Georgia, overtime is generally permitted only with the employee’s consent, except in specific emergency situations defined by law. You must keep accurate daily and weekly records of hours worked to show when employees exceed the standard 40-hour week or the lower limits for minors. Failure to document overtime properly increases the risk of wage claims, administrative fines, and reputational damage.

What Counts As Overtime In Georgia?

Overtime in Georgia is typically any working time that exceeds the standard 40 hours per week for adult employees, or 36 hours per week for 16 to 18-year-olds. Work performed on an employee’s agreed weekly rest day or on a public holiday is also treated as overtime if it goes beyond the normal schedule. You should define in writing which days are regular working days and which are rest days to avoid ambiguity.

Overtime must usually be based on the employee’s prior written consent, except where urgent work is needed to prevent or eliminate the consequences of natural disasters, accidents, or similar emergencies. In practice, many employers include a general overtime consent clause in the employment contract, but you should still notify employees when overtime is required and record their hours. Transparent communication about expected overtime and compensation helps reduce disputes.

Maximum Overtime In Georgia

Georgian legislation does not set a precise numerical weekly or annual overtime cap for adult employees, beyond the overarching requirement to protect health and safety. In practice, employers should ensure that total working time, including overtime, does not regularly exceed 48 hours per week on average over a reference period of up to 4 months, aligning with common regional standards. For minors aged 16 to 18, overtime is effectively prohibited, so their hours must not exceed 36 per week.

Because there is no explicit statutory overtime cap, you should establish internal limits, such as a maximum of 8 overtime hours per week and 120 overtime hours per year, and include these in policies or collective agreements. Where business needs require higher peaks, you should obtain written employee consent and ensure that extended hours are temporary and followed by adequate rest. Documenting these safeguards is important to demonstrate that you are not exposing employees to excessive working time.

Overtime Payout Rates In Georgia

Georgian labour law does not prescribe a specific statutory overtime premium rate, so there is no mandatory 1.25x or 1.5x multiplier set in legislation. Instead, overtime pay must be agreed between the employer and employee, typically in the employment contract or internal regulations, and must at least equal the employee’s normal hourly rate at 100% (1.0x). Many employers in Georgia choose to pay a premium of 125% (1.25x) for regular overtime to remain competitive and fair.

For work performed on weekly rest days or public holidays, there is likewise no fixed statutory multiplier, but it is common practice to pay at least 150% (1.5x) of the normal hourly rate or to provide a paid substitute rest day plus pay at 100% (1.0x). Whatever scheme you adopt, you should state the exact numerical rates in contracts or policies and apply them consistently. Clear, numerical overtime and holiday rates significantly reduce the risk of pay disputes and inspections.

Rest Periods And Breaks In Georgia

In Georgia, employees typically work around 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week, and rest periods are designed to protect health and productivity within this framework. During the working day, employees who work more than 6 hours must receive a meal break, and they are also entitled to daily and weekly rest between shifts. You must structure schedules so that these breaks are respected while still meeting operational needs.

• Meal Break: Employees who work more than 6 hours in a day must receive a meal break of at least 60 minutes, which should be scheduled so as not to unduly disrupt operations. You should specify in internal rules whether this break is paid or unpaid and ensure that employees can actually leave their workstation.
• Daily Rest: Employees are generally entitled to a minimum uninterrupted daily rest period of 12 hours between the end of one workday and the start of the next. When using shift work or extended hours, you must plan rosters so that this 12-hour rest is preserved.
• Weekly Rest: Employees must receive at least 24 consecutive hours of weekly rest, which is commonly scheduled on Sunday in Georgia. If business needs require Sunday work, you should provide a substitute rest day of at least 24 hours in the same week or reference period.
• Minors: Workers under 18 benefit from stricter rest protections, including shorter daily limits and more frequent breaks. You should avoid scheduling minors for late evening hours and ensure that their rest periods are clearly documented.
• Employer Duty: Employers in Georgia are responsible for organizing work so that statutory breaks and rest periods are actually taken, not just written in policy. Timekeeping systems and clear shift schedules are essential tools to demonstrate compliance during inspections or disputes.

Night Shifts And Weekend Regulations In Georgia

Night and weekend work are legal in Georgia but subject to additional employer responsibilities and employee protections. You must pay particular attention to health and safety, working time limits, and fair compensation when organizing such schedules. Clear written policies and accurate time records are essential to manage these higher-risk arrangements.

Night work in Georgia is generally understood as work performed between 22:00 and 06:00, although specific definitions may be refined in contracts or internal regulations. This time window applies across most roles, including manufacturing, healthcare, security, and hospitality, whenever employees are scheduled during these hours. You should explicitly state in employment contracts if an employee is hired as a regular night worker.

• Premium Pay: Georgian law does not set a statutory numerical night work premium, so there is no mandatory percentage such as 125% or 1.25x. In practice, many employers offer a night shift premium of 120% to 130% of the normal hourly rate (1.2x–1.3x) to attract staff and recognize the less desirable hours.
• Health Monitoring: While there is no detailed statutory schedule for medical checks, employers are expected to consider the health impact of regular night work under general occupational safety duties. It is good practice to offer periodic health assessments, for example every 12 months, to employees who work most of their hours between 22:00 and 06:00.
• Workplace Restrictions: Minors under 18 should not be employed in night work, particularly between 22:00 and 06:00, except in very limited circumstances allowed by law. Pregnant workers and new mothers should be exempted from night shifts upon request and offered transfer to daytime work without loss of basic pay.

Weekend work, including Sunday, is permitted in Georgia if it is reflected in the employment contract or shift schedule and employees still receive at least 24 consecutive hours of weekly rest. Many employers provide a premium of 150% (1.5x) of the normal hourly rate for Sunday or public holiday work, or grant a paid substitute rest day plus pay at 100% (1.0x). Whatever approach you choose, you should define the numerical weekend and holiday premiums in writing and apply them consistently.