Working Hours and Overtime in Moldova

What Are The Standard Working Hours In Moldova?

An employee whose age is 16 or younger has a maximum of 5 hours per day and 24 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 4 hours in a day. In typical working hours, Monday through Friday, the hours are 09:00 to 18:00.

Maximum Working Hours In Moldova

In Moldova, the general statutory limit for normal working time is 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week for full‑time employees. Employers may introduce uneven or flexible schedules, but the average working time over the applicable reference period must not exceed 40 hours per week. Collective agreements and internal regulations can refine daily schedules, provided they do not breach these statutory ceilings.

Compressed workweeks of up to 10 hours per day are possible if the weekly average remains at or below 40 hours and employees receive appropriate rest. Any work performed beyond the established daily or weekly norm is treated as overtime and must follow strict consent and compensation rules. Employers are required to keep accurate time records to demonstrate compliance with daily and weekly limits.

Industry-Specific Exceptions

Companies hiring in sectors like healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, or hospitality may be subject to special scheduling rules. These rules often allow for longer individual shifts, such as 12‑hour rotations, as long as the average weekly working time does not exceed 40 hours over the agreed reference period. Employers must document these arrangements in work schedules and, where applicable, collective agreements.

• 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 assess fatigue risks and adjust staffing levels where long shifts or continuous operations are required. Failure to manage these exceptions properly can lead to breaches of working‑time and health‑and‑safety obligations.

Managerial And Exempt Employees

Senior managers and certain categories of staff with autonomous decision‑making may have more flexible schedules, but they are still covered by Moldova’s overarching health and safety protections. Employment contracts should clearly describe their working‑time expectations, including whether their salary is deemed to cover a reasonable amount of additional hours. Even for these employees, systematic work far beyond 40 hours per week can trigger overtime or compensatory rest obligations if national law or collective agreements so provide.

Employers cannot unilaterally classify staff as “exempt” to avoid working‑time rules. Any derogations must be grounded in the Labour Code or a valid collective agreement and must not undermine minimum daily and weekly rest. Transparent documentation and regular review of managerial workloads help reduce the risk of disputes and inspections.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Moldova

Statutory full‑time work in Moldova is generally defined as 40 hours per week, usually spread over five 8‑hour days. Some enterprises may operate six‑day weeks with shorter daily hours, provided the total still does not exceed 40 hours. Part‑time arrangements are permitted where the contracted hours are below this standard threshold.

Employers can implement flexible or shift‑based schedules as long as the average weekly hours for full‑time staff remain at 40 over the chosen reference period. Any deviation from the standard pattern should be reflected in written contracts or internal regulations. Clear communication of full‑time norms helps employees understand when overtime begins and how it will be compensated.

Overtime Regulations In Moldova

Overtime in Moldova is tightly regulated, and employers must obtain employee consent in most cases, except in narrowly defined emergencies. You are required to maintain precise records of hours worked, including overtime, rest‑day work, and night work, to demonstrate compliance during inspections. Non‑compliance with overtime rules can result in administrative fines, back‑pay liabilities, and potential reputational damage.

What Counts As Overtime In Moldova?

Overtime in Moldova is generally any time worked beyond the employee’s normal daily schedule or beyond 40 hours in a week for full‑time staff. Work performed on weekly rest days or public holidays is also treated as overtime, even if the 40‑hour weekly limit is not exceeded. Such work must be specifically ordered or approved by the employer and recorded in the timekeeping system.

Overtime is typically allowed only with the employee’s written consent, except in urgent situations such as accidents, natural disasters, or other emergencies defined by law. Employers should avoid using overtime as a regular staffing tool and instead rely on proper workforce planning. Clear internal policies on when overtime may be requested and how it is compensated help reduce disputes.

Maximum Overtime In Moldova

In Moldova, the Labour Code limits overtime to a maximum of 120 hours per calendar year per employee under normal circumstances. With the employee’s consent and, where required, consultation with employee representatives, this cap can be increased but must not exceed 240 hours per year. Employers should monitor cumulative overtime to ensure individual employees do not cross these thresholds.

On a shorter reference basis, overtime should not regularly exceed 4 hours on any given day and 20 hours in any given week. These limits are designed to protect employee health and safety and to ensure that the 40‑hour weekly norm remains the baseline. Any exceptional need to approach the upper annual cap should be justified, documented, and accompanied by appropriate rest and compensation.

Overtime Payout Rates In Moldova

Overtime in Moldova must be compensated at enhanced rates compared with normal working hours. For hours worked beyond the normal daily or weekly schedule on regular working days, the minimum statutory premium is 50%, meaning employees must receive at least 1.5x their regular hourly rate for those hours. Employers may grant higher rates by contract or collective agreement but cannot go below the 1.5x minimum.

For work performed on weekly rest days or public holidays, the Labour Code requires at least double pay, meaning a minimum of 2.0x the regular hourly rate for those hours. As an alternative, employees may agree to receive a normal rate of pay plus a compensatory rest day, but where pay is chosen as the primary compensation, the 2.0x minimum applies. Employers should clearly state in contracts or policies whether overtime is paid, compensated with time off at equivalent or higher value, or a combination of both, ensuring that the numerical minimums are always met.

Rest Periods And Breaks In Moldova

In Moldova, employees typically work up to 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week, and rest periods are structured around these limits to protect health and productivity. The Labour Code requires employers to provide meal breaks during the working day, daily rest between shifts, and weekly rest days proportional to the hours worked. These rest entitlements must be integrated into work schedules so that the statutory daily and weekly working‑time limits are not exceeded.

• Meal Break: Employees who work more than 4 consecutive hours must receive a meal break of at least 30 minutes, which is usually unpaid but must allow them to leave their workstation. Employers in Moldova should schedule this break roughly in the middle of the working day and reflect it in internal regulations.
• Daily Rest: Employees are entitled to a minimum uninterrupted daily rest period of 11 consecutive hours between working days. This means that if a shift ends at 20:00, the next shift cannot start before 07:00 the following day.
• Weekly Rest: The standard weekly rest in Moldova is at least 42 consecutive hours, typically covering Saturday afternoon and all of Sunday or the full weekend. If business needs require work on the usual rest day, employers must grant a substitute rest period of equivalent length.
• Minors: Employees under 18 benefit from longer rest periods and shorter working days, with at least 12 consecutive hours of daily rest. They are also entitled to a full two‑day weekly rest period, which should generally include Sunday.
• Employer Duty: Employers must design work schedules that respect all statutory rest periods and keep records to prove compliance during inspections. Where continuous operations are necessary, you must use shift rotations that still guarantee the minimum daily and weekly rest for each worker.

Night Shifts And Weekend Regulations In Moldova

Night and weekend work are legal in Moldova but subject to additional employer responsibilities and employee protections. You must ensure that such work does not undermine mandatory daily and weekly rest periods and that employees are informed in advance of their shift patterns. Particular care is required for vulnerable groups and for roles involving safety‑critical tasks.

Night work in Moldova is generally defined as work performed between 22:00 and 06:00. Employees who regularly perform at least 3 hours of their daily working time during this window, or a significant portion of their annual hours, are considered night workers. This classification triggers specific health‑and‑safety obligations and, where applicable, premium pay.

• Premium Pay: In Moldova, night work must be compensated with a minimum premium of 25% above the regular hourly rate, meaning at least 1.25x pay for hours worked between 22:00 and 06:00. Collective agreements or company policies may grant higher premiums, but they cannot fall below the 25% statutory minimum.
• Health Monitoring: Regular night workers must be offered periodic medical examinations to assess the impact of night schedules on their health. Employers should adjust duties or transfer employees to day work where medical findings indicate that continued night work would be harmful.
• Workplace Restrictions: Minors under 18 are generally prohibited from night work, with only narrow exceptions in specific sectors allowed by law. Pregnant employees and those who have recently given birth must not be required to perform night work and should be reassigned to daytime duties without loss of basic pay.

Weekend work, particularly on Sunday, is normally treated as work on a weekly rest day in Moldova and is allowed only in sectors where continuous operations are necessary or by exception. Employees who work on their weekly rest day must receive either a substitute rest day of at least the same duration or enhanced pay, typically at least 2.0x their regular hourly rate when no compensatory rest is granted. Employers should plan rosters so that weekend work is distributed fairly and does not cause employees to fall below the minimum 42 consecutive hours of weekly rest.