Working Hours and Overtime in Paraguay

What Are The Standard Working Hours In Paraguay?

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 48 hours per week. A minimum meal interval of 30 minutes must be observed by employees who work more than 5 consecutive hours in a day. In typical working hours, Monday through Friday, the hours are 08:00 to 17:00.

Maximum Working Hours In Paraguay

Under Paraguayan law, the standard limit for daytime work is 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week for adult employees. Night work is capped at 7 hours per day and 42 hours per week, while mixed shifts that include both day and night work are limited to 7.5 hours per day and 45 hours per week. You must structure schedules so that these statutory limits are not exceeded without triggering overtime.

Collective bargaining agreements may introduce shorter standard weeks, such as 40 or 44 hours, or define specific shift patterns, but they cannot lawfully increase the statutory maxima. When you implement flexible or rotating schedules, you must still ensure that the average weekly hours over the agreed reference period do not exceed the legal limits. Accurate timekeeping systems are essential to demonstrate compliance in the event of an inspection or dispute.

Industry-Specific Exceptions

Companies hiring in sectors like healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, or hospitality may be subject to special scheduling rules. In Paraguay, continuous operations and essential services can organize work in shifts that cover 24 hours, provided that daily and weekly limits and overtime rules are respected. You should review any applicable sectoral collective agreements that may refine or supplement the Labour Code.

• 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. In practice, this means monitoring total hours across all shifts and redistributing work or granting compensatory rest when peaks occur. Failure to do so can result in claims for unpaid overtime and administrative sanctions.

Managerial And Exempt Employees

Paraguayan law allows certain high-level managerial or trust positions to be treated differently for working-time control, but they are not completely outside the scope of labour protection. Senior managers who genuinely control their own schedules may not be subject to strict daily tracking, yet they must still receive at least the statutory weekly rest and applicable overtime or higher salary that clearly compensates for extended hours. You should define these roles precisely in the employment contract to avoid misclassification.

Employees labeled as “exempt” without truly having autonomy over their hours can later claim overtime for work beyond 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week. To mitigate this risk, keep written job descriptions, document decision-making authority, and ensure that remuneration is proportionate to the expected workload. When in doubt, apply standard working-time and overtime rules rather than assuming an exemption.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Paraguay

Full-time work in Paraguay is generally understood as 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week for daytime schedules. For night workers, full-time is 7 hours per day and 42 hours per week, while mixed shifts are full-time at 7.5 hours per day and 45 hours per week. Any hours beyond these thresholds are treated as overtime and must be compensated at the applicable premium rates.

Part-time arrangements are permitted, provided that the agreed hours and pay are clearly stated in the contract and do not exceed the statutory daily and weekly limits. You may also use flexible or compressed workweeks, but you must still respect maximum daily hours and ensure that average weekly hours do not surpass the legal full-time standard. Transparent scheduling and written agreements help demonstrate that reduced or irregular hours are mutually agreed rather than imposed unilaterally.

Overtime Regulations In Paraguay

As an employer in Paraguay, you must monitor and record all hours worked beyond the statutory daily and weekly limits, because these hours qualify as overtime and attract premium pay. Time records should accurately capture start and end times, breaks, and any work performed on weekly rest days or public holidays. Non-compliance with overtime rules can lead to back-pay awards, fines, and potential labour authority investigations.

What Counts As Overtime In Paraguay?

Overtime in Paraguay is any time worked beyond 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week for daytime schedules, beyond 7 hours per day or 42 hours per week for night work, or beyond 7.5 hours per day or 45 hours per week for mixed shifts. Work performed on the employee’s weekly rest day, typically Sunday, is also treated as overtime and must be paid at the applicable premium rate. Work on official public holidays is considered overtime regardless of weekly totals and is compensated at a higher statutory rate.

Overtime must be exceptional and justified by business needs, not a permanent substitute for proper staffing. You should obtain the employee’s consent where required and ensure that overtime does not compromise mandatory daily and weekly rest periods. Clear internal policies and prior written authorization procedures help you control costs and demonstrate that overtime is properly managed.

Maximum Overtime In Paraguay

Paraguayan legislation limits overtime to a maximum of 3 hours per day and 9 hours per week per employee. This means that even in peak periods, a daytime worker should not exceed 11 total hours in a single day or 57 total hours in a week. These caps apply across all types of work for the same employer and are designed to protect employee health and safety.

In exceptional circumstances such as force majeure or urgent repairs, you may temporarily exceed the usual overtime limits, but you should seek authorization or notify the labour authority when required and document the reasons. Even in emergencies, you must still respect absolute health and safety constraints and avoid systematically scheduling employees above the 3-hours-per-day and 9-hours-per-week overtime thresholds. Persistent breaches can expose you to sanctions and claims for damages.

Overtime Payout Rates In Paraguay

In Paraguay, regular overtime worked on ordinary working days must be paid at a minimum of 150% of the employee’s normal hourly rate, that is, 1.5x pay. Overtime worked during night hours is typically paid at 160% of the normal hourly rate, combining the night premium with the overtime premium, unless a collective agreement grants a higher rate. You should calculate these premiums based on the employee’s regular remuneration, including fixed salary components.

Work performed on the employee’s weekly rest day or on a Sunday is generally compensated at 200% of the normal hourly rate, or 2.0x pay. Work on official public holidays must be paid at a minimum of 200% of the normal hourly rate as well, and if the holiday coincides with the weekly rest day, some employers grant 250% (2.5x) by collective agreement to remain competitive. Always check whether a sectoral or company-level agreement sets higher percentages and reflect the applicable rates clearly in payslips.

Rest Periods And Breaks In Paraguay

In Paraguay, employees typically work up to 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week in daytime schedules, and rest periods and breaks are structured around these limits to protect health and productivity. The law requires minimum meal and daily rest intervals once employees work beyond certain daily thresholds, and weekly rest must also be guaranteed. When designing work schedules, you must integrate these breaks so that total working time and rest entitlements remain compliant.

• Meal Break: Employees who work more than 5 consecutive hours must receive at least a 30-minute uninterrupted meal break, and many employers provide 60 minutes by policy or collective agreement.
• Daily Rest: Workers are entitled to a minimum of 12 consecutive hours of rest between the end of one workday and the start of the next, which is especially important for night and mixed-shift schedules.
• Weekly Rest: Employees must receive at least 24 consecutive hours of weekly rest, typically on Sunday, and if they work on that day you must grant a substitute rest day and pay the applicable overtime premium.
• Minors: Workers under 18 benefit from stricter protections, including shorter daily limits, more frequent breaks, and a prohibition on night work to safeguard their development and safety.
• Employer Duty: You are responsible for organizing work so that statutory breaks and rest periods are actually taken, documenting schedules, and preventing employees from voluntarily waiving their minimum rest.

Night Shifts And Weekend Regulations In Paraguay

Night and weekend work are legal in Paraguay but subject to additional employer responsibilities and employee protections. You must pay attention to reduced maximum hours, premium pay, and stricter rules for vulnerable groups such as minors and pregnant workers. Proper planning and documentation are essential to avoid non-compliance when operating outside standard daytime schedules.

Night work in Paraguay is generally defined as work performed between 22:00 and 06:00, and employees who regularly work during this window are considered night workers. For these employees, the standard full-time limit is 7 hours per night and 42 hours per week, which is lower than for daytime workers. You should identify roles that systematically fall within this time window and apply the specific night-work rules and premiums to them.

• Premium Pay: Night work in Paraguay typically attracts at least a 30% premium over the normal daytime hourly rate, meaning night hours are paid at a minimum of 130% (1.3x), and when combined with overtime the total rate can reach 160% (1.6x) or more.
• Health Monitoring: While the Labour Code does not mandate periodic medical exams for all night workers, it is recommended that you offer regular health assessments and adapt schedules if medical advice indicates that night work is unsuitable.
• Workplace Restrictions: Minors under 18 are prohibited from performing night work, and pregnant workers should be reassigned away from night shifts or heavy night duties where there is any risk to maternal or fetal health.

Weekend work, particularly on Sundays, is generally treated as work on the weekly rest day and must be minimized or justified by the nature of the business. When employees work on Sunday, you must either grant a substitute rest day in the same week or pay a premium of around 200% (2.0x) of the normal hourly rate for those hours, in addition to respecting overall overtime caps. Public holiday work on weekends is usually compensated at no less than 200% and may reach 250% (2.5x) where collective agreements or company policies provide enhanced protection.