Working Hours and Overtime in Suriname

In Suriname, 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, you should define clear standard working hours, track all time worked, and apply overtime and rest rules consistently across your workforce. Documenting policies, obtaining prior approval for overtime, and keeping accurate records will help you demonstrate compliance during any inspection or dispute. Looking ahead to 2026, regulators are expected to continue focusing on health and safety, fair compensation for additional hours, and the protection of vulnerable groups such as young workers and night workers, so aligning your internal policies with these priorities will reduce risk.

• 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 Suriname?

An employee whose age is 17 or younger has a maximum of 7 hours per day and 40 hours per week. An employee whose age is 18 or older is allowed to work 45 hours per week. A minimum meal interval of 30 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 17:00.

Maximum Working Hours In Suriname

In Suriname, standard working time in most sectors is based on a 45-hour workweek, usually spread over five or six days. A common pattern is 8 to 9 hours per day from Monday to Friday, with any remaining hours – if applicable – worked on Saturday. Daily working time should be organized so that employees do not exceed the statutory limits and always receive the required rest and meal breaks. You should clearly define working schedules in employment contracts or internal regulations and ensure that any deviation from the standard pattern is documented and justified.

Industry-Specific Exceptions

• Healthcare And Hospital Services
• Hospitality, Tourism, And Restaurants
• Security, Guarding, And Surveillance Services
• Transportation, Ports, And Logistics
• Continuous Process Industries (Such As Mining Or Manufacturing)
• Agriculture And Seasonal Field Work

Managerial And Exempt Employees

Senior managers and certain highly autonomous employees may have more flexible schedules and may not be subject to the same detailed hour-by-hour controls as other staff. However, you should not assume that managerial status automatically removes all protections. To reduce risk, define in writing which roles are considered managerial or exempt, describe their broader availability expectations, and ensure that their total workload remains reasonable. Even for managers, you should respect general health and safety principles, avoid excessive working hours, and provide adequate rest.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Suriname

Full-time employment in Suriname is generally understood as working close to the statutory weekly maximum – typically around 40 to 45 hours per week, depending on the sector and any applicable collective agreement. When designing roles, you should specify the weekly hours, the normal daily schedule, and whether work is performed over five or six days. Any work beyond the agreed full-time schedule should be treated as overtime, tracked accurately, and compensated or time-offed in line with Surinamese law and any contractual commitments.

Overtime Regulations In Suriname

What Counts As Overtime In Suriname?

Overtime in Suriname generally refers to any working time performed beyond the employee’s normal daily or weekly schedule as set out in the employment contract, internal regulations, or applicable collective agreement. In practice, this usually means hours worked beyond approximately 8 to 9 hours in a day or beyond 40 to 45 hours in a week. You should treat any additional hours requested by supervisors, time spent finishing tasks after normal closing time, and work performed on rest days or public holidays as overtime, unless the employee’s role is clearly defined as exempt and local law allows such exemption.

Maximum Overtime In Suriname

Surinamese working-time rules are designed to prevent excessive overtime that could endanger employee health and safety. As a best-practice benchmark, you should ensure that total working time – regular hours plus overtime – does not systematically exceed an average of 48 hours per week over the reference period used in your policies. Overtime should be exceptional, justified by operational needs, and subject to prior authorization. You should also monitor daily limits so that employees do not work excessively long shifts and always receive the required daily and weekly rest.

Overtime Payout Rates In Suriname

Overtime work in Suriname is typically compensated at a premium rate above the employee’s normal hourly wage. Common practice is to pay at least 125 percent of the regular rate for overtime hours worked on normal working days and a higher premium – often 150 percent or more – for work performed on weekly rest days or public holidays. Some employers instead grant equivalent paid time off in lieu of cash payment, provided this is clearly agreed with the employee and does not disadvantage them. You should set out your overtime rates and any time-off-in-lieu arrangements in writing, ensure that all overtime is recorded accurately, and pay overtime premiums together with the regular payroll cycle.

Rest Periods And Breaks In Suriname

In Suriname, employees typically work around 8 to 9 hours per day and up to about 40 to 45 hours per week, and rest periods are designed to protect their health within these limits. You must build meal breaks, daily rest, and weekly rest into your scheduling so that employees are not required to work continuously for long stretches, and you should pay particular attention to younger workers and night workers, who may need additional protections.

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