Working Hours and Overtime in Ghana

What Are The Standard Working Hours In Ghana?

An employee whose age is 18 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 5 continuous hours in a day. In typical working hours, Monday through Friday, the hours are 8:00 to 17:00.

Maximum Working Hours In Ghana

Under Ghanaian labour law, normal working time for most employees is generally limited to 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week, excluding unpaid meal breaks. You should structure work schedules so that employees do not routinely exceed these limits without clearly documented overtime arrangements. Collective agreements or company policies may distribute hours differently across the week, provided the average does not exceed the statutory weekly limit.

Where shift systems or compressed workweeks are used, you must ensure that the total hours over the reference period still average 40 hours per week. Any hours worked beyond the agreed normal daily or weekly hours must be treated as overtime and compensated accordingly. You should keep written records of scheduled and actual hours to demonstrate compliance during inspections or disputes.

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 rotating rosters to maintain continuous operations while still respecting daily rest and weekly rest requirements. You should reflect these patterns clearly in employment contracts and internal policies.

Even in these sectors, you must ensure the average weekly limit is respected over a reference period. You should also monitor fatigue risks where long or irregular shifts are used and adjust staffing levels accordingly. Written risk assessments and consultation with workers or unions are advisable where extended shifts are common.

• 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 document how hours are averaged and how compensatory rest is granted when employees work beyond their normal schedules. This documentation will be important if there is a complaint or inspection.

Managerial And Exempt Employees

Senior managerial staff in Ghana may have more flexible working hours, and their roles often require irregular or extended availability. However, there is no blanket exemption from working-time protections, and you should still define expected hours and rest periods in their contracts. Where managers are not paid overtime, this should be clearly reflected in a higher base salary and expressly agreed in writing.

For professionals and supervisory employees, you may use output-based or task-based arrangements instead of strict hourly tracking. Even so, you remain responsible for ensuring that workloads do not systematically exceed safe limits. Transparent communication about expectations and periodic workload reviews help reduce the risk of overwork claims.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Ghana

In Ghana, full-time employment is typically based on a standard of 40 hours per week spread over five working days. Many employers use a schedule of 8 hours per day from Monday to Friday, excluding a meal break of at least 30 minutes. Any arrangement that significantly departs from this pattern should be clearly documented and agreed with the employee.

Part-time and shift-based roles may involve fewer or differently distributed hours, but you must still respect daily and weekly rest rules. Where you average hours over a reference period, ensure that the average does not exceed 40 hours per week and that overtime is correctly identified and paid. Written policies on full-time, part-time, and shift work will support consistent and compliant scheduling practices.

Overtime Regulations In Ghana

Overtime in Ghana must be carefully controlled, documented, and compensated in line with the Labour Act and any applicable collective agreements. You are required to keep accurate records of hours worked, including start and end times, overtime hours, and rest days worked. Failure to manage overtime transparently can lead to disputes, back-pay claims, and sanctions from the Labour Department.

What Counts As Overtime In Ghana?

Overtime in Ghana generally means any hours worked beyond the employee’s normal daily or weekly working hours, typically more than 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week. Work performed on a scheduled rest day or public holiday is also treated as overtime, even if the weekly total remains within 40 hours. You should define normal hours and overtime triggers clearly in each employment contract.

Overtime should normally be performed only with the prior approval of the employer or an authorised manager. Employees should not be penalised for refusing overtime that would breach legal limits or agreed caps. You must also ensure that overtime does not compromise required daily and weekly rest periods.

Maximum Overtime In Ghana

Ghanaian labour practice generally limits overtime to a maximum of 2 hours per day, meaning a total of 10 hours on any day where overtime is worked. In weekly terms, you should not exceed 20 hours of overtime, resulting in a combined maximum of 60 hours in any week where overtime is authorised. These limits are intended to protect employee health and safety and reduce fatigue-related risks.

Where exceptional business needs arise, you may temporarily approach these daily and weekly caps, but systematic exceedance is not acceptable. Any proposal to go beyond 2 hours of overtime per day or 20 hours per week should be discussed with employees and, where applicable, unions, and carefully justified and documented. If your operations regularly require more than these levels, you should review staffing levels or shift patterns instead of relying on excessive overtime.

Overtime Payout Rates In Ghana

In Ghana, overtime on a normal working day is commonly paid at a minimum of 150% of the employee’s normal hourly rate, that is 1.5x the base rate for each overtime hour. When employees work overtime on a weekly rest day such as Sunday or on a Saturday that is not part of their normal schedule, you should pay at least 200% of the normal hourly rate, that is 2.0x. These numerical rates should be clearly stated in contracts or collective agreements to avoid ambiguity.

For work performed on public holidays, the typical standard is at least 200% of the normal hourly rate, that is 2.0x, in addition to granting a substitute rest day where required. If your company offers higher premiums, such as 175% or 250% for certain categories, you must apply them consistently and reflect them in payroll records. Always calculate overtime based on the employee’s full regular remuneration, including any fixed allowances that form part of normal pay.

Rest Periods And Breaks In Ghana

In Ghana, employees typically work around 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week, and rest periods are designed to ensure these hours are worked safely and sustainably. Meal breaks must interrupt continuous work so that employees do not work more than 5 hours without at least a 30-minute break. Daily and weekly rest entitlements operate alongside these breaks to prevent excessive fatigue.

• Meal Break: Employees who work more than 5 continuous hours in Ghana must receive a meal break of at least 30 minutes, which is usually unpaid unless company policy states otherwise.
• Daily Rest: Workers are generally entitled to a minimum uninterrupted rest period of 12 hours between the end of one workday and the start of the next in Ghana.
• Weekly Rest: Employees must receive at least 24 consecutive hours of rest each week in Ghana, commonly granted on Sunday or another agreed day.
• Minors: Young workers in Ghana should have shorter working days, longer rest periods, and more frequent breaks to protect their health and development.
• Employer Duty: Employers in Ghana must schedule and enforce breaks and rest periods, keep records, and ensure that operational demands do not undermine these protections.

Night Shifts And Weekend Regulations In Ghana

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

Night work in Ghana is commonly understood as work performed between 22:00 and 06:00, although specific definitions may be refined in collective agreements or company policies. This time window can apply across a wide range of roles, including security, healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing. You should specify in contracts when an employee is considered a night worker and what entitlements apply.

• Premium Pay: There is no statutory night work premium in Ghana, but many employers pay at least 125% to 150% of the normal hourly rate, that is 1.25x to 1.5x, for hours worked between 22:00 and 06:00 as a contractual benefit.
• Health Monitoring: Regular night workers in Ghana should receive periodic health assessments, particularly for fatigue, sleep disorders, and stress, and you should adjust schedules if medical advice indicates risk.
• Workplace Restrictions: In Ghana, minors and pregnant workers should generally be excluded from night work or assigned only to daytime duties, and any exception must strictly comply with health and safety guidance.

Weekend work in Ghana, especially on Sundays, is treated as work on a rest day and should be limited to situations where business needs justify it. When employees work on their weekly rest day, you should provide a substitute rest day and pay at least 200% of the normal hourly rate, that is 2.0x, for those hours. These rules should be clearly communicated in contracts and rosters so employees understand their rights and entitlements.