Working Hours and Overtime in Liberia

In Liberia, 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 staffing and scheduling through 2026, you should formalize standard working hours in contracts, track all hours worked, and apply overtime and rest rules consistently across your workforce. Expect closer scrutiny of working-time records, night work arrangements, and protections for vulnerable workers, so investing in reliable timekeeping systems, clear policies, and supervisor training will be essential to demonstrate compliance during inspections or disputes.

• 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 Liberia?

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 17 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 hours in a day. In typical working hours, Monday through Friday, the hours are 8:00 to 16:00.

Maximum Working Hours In Liberia

Under Liberian labour practice, a standard full-time schedule is generally based on 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week for adult employees. You should structure work so that employees do not routinely exceed these limits, except where properly authorized overtime is used. For operational planning, it is advisable to spread hours evenly across the week, avoid excessively long single shifts, and document any deviations from the normal schedule in employment contracts or internal policies.

Industry-Specific Exceptions

• Healthcare And Hospital Services
• Security, Guarding, And Surveillance
• Mining, Forestry, And Agricultural Operations
• Hospitality, Hotels, And Restaurants
• Transport, Ports, And Logistics Services

Managerial And Exempt Employees

Senior managers and certain highly skilled or supervisory employees in Liberia are often treated as having greater flexibility in their working hours. While you may not track their hours as strictly as those of rank-and-file staff, you should still ensure that their workload is reasonable, that any overtime expectations are clearly described in their contracts, and that they receive appropriate compensation or time off in line with company policy and any applicable collective agreements. Avoid assuming that all managers are automatically exempt from overtime or rest protections – assess each role based on its actual duties and level of autonomy.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Liberia

For most employees in Liberia, full-time work is organized around a 48-hour workweek, typically divided into 8-hour days over 6 days or 8-hour days over 5 days with adjusted schedules. When designing work patterns, you should confirm that the total scheduled hours, including any regular overtime, do not exceed the legal and contractual limits, and that employees receive the required meal breaks and daily and weekly rest periods. Clearly defining full-time hours in contracts and employee handbooks helps prevent disputes and supports compliance during inspections or audits.

Overtime Regulations In Liberia

What Counts As Overtime In Liberia?

In Liberia, overtime generally refers to any working time performed beyond the employee’s normal daily or weekly schedule, most commonly beyond 8 hours in a day or 48 hours in a week for full-time adult employees. You should define standard hours in each employment contract and in your internal policies so that any work in excess of those hours can be clearly identified and recorded as overtime. Time spent on mandatory staff meetings, required training, or on-call duties where the employee must remain at the workplace or be ready to work at short notice should also be treated as working time when calculating overtime.

Maximum Overtime In Liberia

While Liberian law aims to prevent excessive working hours, it allows employers to use overtime in response to business needs, emergencies, or seasonal peaks. As a best practice, you should limit overtime so that total hours do not regularly exceed 10–12 hours per day or 56–60 hours per week, and ensure that overtime is exceptional rather than routine. Establish internal approval procedures for overtime, keep accurate records of all additional hours worked, and monitor patterns to avoid fatigue, health and safety risks, and potential claims that your standard staffing levels are inadequate.

Overtime Payout Rates In Liberia

Overtime in Liberia is typically compensated at a premium rate above the employee’s normal hourly wage, especially for work performed beyond the standard daily or weekly limits, at night, on weekly rest days, or on public holidays. You should clearly state overtime rates in employment contracts or collective agreements – for example, at least 125% of the basic hourly rate for regular overtime and higher premiums for night work or work on rest days and holidays. Where permitted and agreed in writing, you may offer time off in lieu of paid overtime, provided that the compensatory rest is granted within a reasonable period and is recorded accurately. Transparent payslips that itemize overtime hours and rates are essential for demonstrating compliance.

Rest Periods And Breaks In Liberia

In Liberia, employees commonly work around 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week, and you must organize rest periods and breaks so that these hours do not compromise employee health, safety, or productivity. This includes providing a proper meal break during the working day, ensuring sufficient rest between shifts, and guaranteeing at least one full day of rest each week, with special protections for younger workers and those performing night or hazardous work.

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