Working Hours and Overtime in Jordan

What Are The Standard Working Hours In Jordan?

An employee whose age is 17 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 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 9:00 to 17:00.

Maximum Working Hours In Jordan

Under the Jordanian Labour Law, standard working hours for adult employees must not exceed 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week, excluding meal and rest breaks. These limits apply unless a shorter workweek is agreed in the employment contract or collective agreement. You must structure schedules so that employees do not regularly exceed these statutory thresholds.

Collective agreements or internal policies may introduce compressed or flexible schedules, but the total actual working time must still average no more than 48 hours per week over the applicable reference period. Any work performed beyond these limits is treated as overtime and must be compensated at the statutory premium rates. You should maintain accurate daily and weekly time records to demonstrate compliance in the event of inspection.

Industry-Specific Exceptions

Companies hiring in sectors like healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, or hospitality may be allowed to organize work in longer daily shifts, provided that the weekly total does not exceed 48 hours and overtime rules are respected. In practice, this often means using 10–12 hour shifts combined with additional rest days or longer rest periods. You must document these patterns clearly in work regulations or contracts.

• 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 also verify whether any ministerial decisions or sectoral collective agreements impose stricter limits or additional protections for your specific industry.

Managerial And Exempt Employees

Jordanian law allows certain senior managerial or supervisory employees to be excluded from standard working hour and overtime provisions when they have genuine authority over hiring, firing, and directing staff. These exemptions must be interpreted narrowly and clearly reflected in the employment contract and job description. Simply paying a higher salary is not enough to remove an employee from working time protections.

For employees who are legitimately exempt, you should still define expected working hours and rest periods to prevent excessive workloads and health risks. Where there is doubt about an employee’s status, it is safer to treat them as covered by the 8-hour daily and 48-hour weekly limits and to pay overtime at the statutory premium rates. Proper classification reduces the risk of back-pay claims and administrative penalties.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Jordan

Full-time work in Jordan is generally understood as 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week for adult employees. Many employers, especially in professional or office-based roles, voluntarily adopt a 40–45 hour workweek to remain competitive and support work–life balance. Any reduction from the statutory maximum should be clearly stated in contracts and internal policies.

Part-time arrangements are permitted, and working hours can be distributed differently across the week as long as the daily and weekly limits are respected. When employees work less than the full-time schedule, entitlements such as salary and some benefits are typically prorated according to actual hours worked. You should ensure that part-time schedules still allow employees to enjoy their daily and weekly rest entitlements.

Overtime Regulations In Jordan

As an employer in Jordan, you must obtain the employee’s consent for overtime, keep precise records of all hours worked, and pay statutory overtime premiums on time. Labour inspectors may review your time sheets, payroll records, and overtime authorizations to verify compliance. Failure to follow overtime rules can lead to back-pay orders, fines, and potential disputes with employees.

What Counts As Overtime In Jordan?

In Jordan, overtime for adult employees is any work performed beyond 8 hours in a day or 48 hours in a week, whichever threshold is used in your scheduling. Work performed on the employee’s weekly rest day or on official public holidays is also treated as overtime, even if the 48-hour weekly limit is not exceeded. You should define in writing how you calculate overtime so employees clearly understand when premium rates apply.

Overtime must generally be based on the employee’s basic hourly wage, excluding discretionary bonuses, and then multiplied by the applicable statutory premium. You should obtain written or at least documented consent for overtime, except in narrowly defined emergency situations. Clear internal approval workflows help prevent unauthorized overtime and unexpected payroll costs.

Maximum Overtime In Jordan

Jordanian Labour Law limits overtime to a maximum of 4 hours per day, so total daily working time including overtime must not exceed 12 hours. On a weekly basis, overtime must not exceed 16 hours, meaning that total weekly working time should not exceed 64 hours for adult employees. These caps apply regardless of whether overtime is worked on regular days or rest days.

In addition, the law restricts the use of overtime to exceptional or temporary needs rather than as a permanent staffing solution. You should monitor overtime trends and redistribute workloads or hire additional staff if employees are consistently approaching the 4-hour daily or 16-hour weekly overtime caps. Exceeding these numerical limits can expose you to administrative penalties and claims for unlawful working hours.

Overtime Payout Rates In Jordan

For overtime worked on regular working days, Jordanian law requires payment of at least 125% of the employee’s basic hourly wage, equivalent to a 1.25x multiplier. For work performed on the weekly rest day or on official public holidays, you must pay at least 150% of the basic hourly wage, equivalent to a 1.5x multiplier. These minimum statutory rates apply regardless of the employee’s salary level unless a more generous rate is agreed in a contract or collective agreement.

Some employers choose to offer higher premiums, such as 150% for regular overtime and 200% for rest day or holiday work, to attract and retain staff in demanding roles. Whatever rates you adopt, they must never fall below 125% for regular overtime and 150% for weekly rest day or public holiday work. You should itemize overtime hours and corresponding premium rates clearly on payslips to maintain transparency and reduce disputes.

Rest Periods And Breaks In Jordan

In Jordan, adult employees typically work up to 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week, and rest periods are designed to protect their health within these limits. The law requires at least one unpaid meal and rest break during the working day and guarantees daily and weekly rest periods. You must schedule these breaks so that employees are not required to work more than 6 consecutive hours without a rest.

• Meal Break: Employees who work more than 6 hours in a day must receive at least 1 continuous hour of unpaid meal and rest time, which cannot be scheduled at the start or end of the shift. You should ensure that operational demands do not prevent employees from actually taking this break.
• Daily Rest: Employees are entitled to a minimum of 11 consecutive hours of rest between the end of one workday and the start of the next. Scheduling should avoid split shifts or late-night and early-morning combinations that reduce this rest period.
• Weekly Rest: Employees must receive at least 1 full paid rest day per week, typically Friday, during which they are not required to work. If business needs require work on the weekly rest day, you must provide substitute rest and pay overtime at no less than 150% of the basic wage.
• Minors: Workers under 18 are subject to stricter protections, including shorter daily hours and more frequent rest breaks. They are also prohibited from night work and from work that is hazardous or harmful to their health.
• Employer Duty: Employers must organize work so that statutory breaks and rest periods are actually taken, not just written into policy. You should keep schedules and attendance records that demonstrate compliance with daily and weekly rest requirements.

Night Shifts And Weekend Regulations In Jordan

Night and weekend work are legal in Jordan but subject to additional employer responsibilities and employee protections. You must pay the correct statutory premiums, respect daily and weekly rest rules, and avoid assigning such work to categories of workers who are legally protected. Clear policies and transparent communication help reduce fatigue and safety risks associated with irregular hours.

Night work in Jordan is generally understood as work performed between 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., particularly when it is performed on a regular or rotating basis. Certain categories of workers, such as women in specific sectors and minors, face restrictions or prohibitions on night work. You should verify any sector-specific regulations that may further refine the definition of night work for your operations.

• Premium Pay: Jordanian Labour Law does not prescribe a separate statutory night work premium beyond the general overtime rates of at least 125% for regular overtime and 150% for weekly rest day or public holiday work. In practice, many employers offer an additional contractual night allowance, often in the range of 10%–25% of the basic wage for hours worked between 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., to compensate for the inconvenience of night shifts.
• Health Monitoring: While there is no explicit statutory requirement for periodic medical examinations for night workers in all sectors, you are expected to safeguard employee health and safety under general occupational safety rules. Many employers therefore provide regular health checks and fatigue management measures for employees who routinely work night shifts.
• Workplace Restrictions: Minors under 18 are prohibited from working at night and from performing hazardous or strenuous tasks during any hours. Pregnant workers and new mothers should not be assigned to night shifts where such work could endanger their health or the child, and you should consider medical recommendations when arranging schedules.

Weekend work in Jordan typically concerns Friday as the main weekly rest day, although some employers operate on a Friday–Saturday weekend. If employees work on their weekly rest day, you must provide a substitute rest day and pay at least 150% of the basic wage for those hours. You should plan staffing levels so that weekend work remains exceptional rather than routine and ensure that employees still receive at least one full weekly rest day.