Working Hours and Overtime in South Sudan

In South Sudan, 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 the regulatory framework continues to mature toward 2026, you should expect closer scrutiny of how you record working time, manage overtime, and protect employee health and safety. Implement clear written policies on standard hours, overtime approval, and rest periods, train managers on their obligations, and keep accurate timekeeping records 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 South Sudan?

An employee whose age is 16 or younger has a maximum of 6 hours per day and 30 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 consecutive hours in a day. In typical working hours, Monday through Friday, the hours are 8:00 to 17:00.

Maximum Working Hours In South Sudan

Under South Sudanese labour practice, the standard limit for adult employees is generally 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week, excluding unpaid meal breaks. As an employer, you should structure work schedules so that normal hours do not routinely exceed these limits, except where overtime is properly authorized and compensated. Daily hours should be distributed as evenly as possible across the week, and any compressed or shift-based arrangements should still respect the weekly cap and provide adequate rest.

Industry-Specific Exceptions

• Emergency And Essential Services
• Healthcare And Hospital Operations
• Security, Guarding, And Surveillance
• Hospitality, Hotels, And Restaurants
• Agriculture And Seasonal Farm Work
• Transport, Logistics, And Aviation Support

Managerial And Exempt Employees

Senior managers and employees in positions of trust often have greater flexibility in their schedules and may not be subject to the same strict hourly tracking as rank-and-file staff. However, you should clearly define in employment contracts whether a role is managerial or otherwise exempt from standard overtime rules, and ensure that the employee’s overall workload remains reasonable. Even for managerial staff, you are expected to respect health and safety principles, avoid excessive working hours, and provide appropriate rest periods.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In South Sudan

Full-time employment in South Sudan is typically based on a 48-hour workweek for adult employees, usually spread over 6 days at 8 hours per day or 5 longer days with appropriate rest. When designing full-time roles, you should specify the normal daily and weekly hours in the contract, indicate the days of work, and clarify how overtime will be handled if employees are required to work beyond the agreed schedule. Part-time and casual arrangements should be pro-rated against this full-time benchmark for purposes such as benefits and leave accrual.

Overtime Regulations In South Sudan

What Counts As Overtime In South Sudan?

In South Sudan, overtime generally refers to any time an employee works beyond the standard 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week that you have set as the normal working schedule in line with labour law. Overtime can arise from extended shifts, work on weekly rest days, or work on public holidays. To remain compliant, you should define normal hours and overtime triggers in writing, obtain prior authorization for overtime where possible, and maintain accurate time and attendance records for all employees.

Maximum Overtime In South Sudan

While South Sudan’s framework is still developing, a prudent approach is to limit overtime to a reasonable number of hours per day and per week so that total working time does not compromise employee health and safety. As a best practice aligned with regional standards, you should avoid scheduling more than 2 to 4 hours of overtime on any given day and should ensure that weekly totals remain within a level that allows employees to enjoy their daily and weekly rest. You should also monitor cumulative overtime over monthly and annual periods and rotate staff where possible to prevent fatigue.

Overtime Payout Rates In South Sudan

Overtime in South Sudan is typically compensated at a premium rate above the employee’s normal hourly wage, especially where work is performed beyond the standard daily or weekly limits, at night, on weekly rest days, or on public holidays. In your internal policies and contracts, you should clearly state the applicable overtime multipliers, such as a higher rate for night work or work on holidays, and ensure that these rates are at least as favourable as any minimum standards set by law or collective agreements. Where time off in lieu is used instead of cash payment, it should be granted at an equivalent or better value than the overtime hours worked and recorded transparently.

Rest Periods And Breaks In South Sudan

Employees in South Sudan typically work around 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week, and you must organize rest periods and breaks so that these working hours do not endanger employee health or safety. This includes providing a proper meal break during the working day, ensuring sufficient rest between shifts, and guaranteeing weekly rest so that employees can recover from their normal and overtime duties.

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