Working Hours and Overtime in Tanzania

What Are The Standard Working Hours In Tanzania?

An employee whose age is 17 or younger has a maximum of 6 hours per day and 30 hours per week. An employee whose age is 18 or older is allowed to work 45 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 08:00 to 17:00.

Maximum Working Hours In Tanzania

Under Tanzanian law, the standard limit for adult employees is 9 hours per day and 45 hours per week, excluding overtime. You may schedule these 45 hours over 5 or 6 days, but you must not exceed an average of 45 ordinary hours per week over the agreed work cycle. Any hours beyond these ordinary limits are treated as overtime and must be compensated at statutory overtime rates.

Collective agreements or written contracts can structure hours differently, such as compressed weeks or shift systems, provided the average does not exceed 45 ordinary hours per week. You must clearly document normal hours, overtime arrangements, and reference periods in employment contracts or policies. Keep accurate time and attendance records to demonstrate compliance with daily and weekly limits during inspections or disputes.

Industry-Specific Exceptions

Companies hiring in sectors like healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, or hospitality may be subject to special scheduling rules. In Tanzania, these sectors often rely on shift work, split shifts, and rotating rosters to maintain 24-hour coverage while still respecting the 45-hour ordinary weekly limit. You should use written shift schedules and obtain employee consent where irregular or on-call patterns are required.

In healthcare, 12-hour shifts are common, but you must ensure that average weekly hours, including overtime, remain within legal caps over the chosen reference period. Transport operators must align driving and rest times with road safety regulations, including maximum continuous driving periods and mandatory breaks. Manufacturing, security, and hospitality employers frequently use night and weekend shifts, which must still comply with daily rest and weekly rest requirements.

• 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 monitor rosters proactively to avoid systematic overwork and fatigue. Where operational needs require frequent overtime, consider hiring additional staff or restructuring shifts.

Managerial And Exempt Employees

Senior managerial and executive employees in Tanzania may be excluded from some working-time protections, particularly where they have genuine autonomy over their schedules and earn significantly higher remuneration. However, you should not assume that all supervisors or team leaders are exempt, and you remain responsible for ensuring that workloads are reasonable and health and safety are protected. Any exemption from overtime pay or strict hour limits should be clearly stated in the employment contract and justified by the employee’s role and level of control.

For non-exempt staff, you must apply the standard 45-hour weekly limit and statutory overtime rules, even if they are paid a salary rather than hourly wages. Misclassifying employees as managerial to avoid overtime obligations can expose you to back-pay claims and penalties. Regularly review job descriptions and actual duties to confirm that any claimed exemptions remain valid.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Tanzania

In Tanzania, statutory full-time work is generally understood as 45 ordinary hours per week for adult employees. This is typically structured as 9 hours per day over 5 days or 8 hours per day over 5.5 to 6 days, excluding meal breaks. Any arrangement that consistently exceeds 45 ordinary hours per week should be treated as involving overtime.

Part-time employees work fewer than 45 hours per week, and their entitlements to leave and benefits should usually be pro-rated based on their contracted hours. You may agree to flexible or variable hours, but the contract should specify the normal weekly hours, the reference period for averaging, and how additional hours will be compensated. Clear documentation helps avoid disputes over whether extra hours are voluntary or compulsory overtime.

Overtime Regulations In Tanzania

As an employer in Tanzania, you must control and record all hours worked beyond the standard 45-hour workweek and 9-hour workday. Overtime must generally be agreed in advance, recorded accurately, and paid at the statutory premium rates set out in the Employment and Labour Relations Act and its regulations. Failure to track overtime or to pay the correct premiums can result in back-pay orders, fines, and reputational damage.

You should implement a clear overtime policy that specifies approval procedures, maximum allowable overtime, and applicable rates for weekdays, rest days, and public holidays. Timekeeping systems – whether electronic or manual – must reliably capture start times, end times, and breaks for each employee. Retain these records for at least 5 years to demonstrate compliance during inspections or disputes.

What Counts As Overtime In Tanzania?

In Tanzania, overtime for adult employees generally means any time worked beyond 9 hours in a day or 45 hours in a week, whichever threshold is exceeded first. Work performed on an employee’s weekly rest day or on a public holiday is also treated as overtime, even if the total weekly hours remain at or below 45. You must obtain the employee’s consent for overtime, except in limited emergency situations defined by law.

Overtime should be exceptional rather than routine and must not be used to circumvent proper staffing levels. You must pay overtime at the applicable premium rate for every qualifying hour, including work performed before the normal start time, after the normal end time, or during scheduled breaks if the employee is required to work. Clearly distinguish between ordinary hours and overtime hours on payslips so employees can verify that they have been paid correctly.

Maximum Overtime In Tanzania

Tanzanian law limits overtime to a maximum of 50 overtime hours in any 4-week period, which equates to an average of 12.5 overtime hours per week. In addition, daily working time, including overtime, should not normally exceed 12 hours, meaning you should not schedule more than 3 overtime hours on a day where 9 ordinary hours are worked. These caps are designed to protect employee health and safety and to prevent systematic overwork.

You must obtain the employee’s agreement to work overtime and ensure that overtime remains within the 50-hour per 4-week ceiling unless a specific legal exemption applies. There is no general statutory provision allowing unlimited extensions beyond this cap, so any request for higher overtime levels should be treated as high risk and avoided. Regularly review overtime reports to identify patterns of excessive hours and adjust staffing or shift structures accordingly.

Overtime Payout Rates In Tanzania

In Tanzania, the statutory minimum overtime rate for work performed beyond the ordinary daily or weekly hours is 150% of the employee’s basic hourly wage, that is, 1.5x the normal rate. For work performed on a weekly rest day or a public holiday, the minimum premium is 200% of the basic hourly wage, that is, 2.0x the normal rate. These numerical rates apply unless a collective agreement or contract provides for higher – but never lower – premiums.

When calculating overtime, you should base the hourly rate on the employee’s basic wage plus any regular cash allowances that form part of normal remuneration, divided by the standard monthly or weekly hours. Ensure that overtime pay is itemised separately on payslips, showing the number of overtime hours at 150% and at 200% where applicable. If you provide time off in lieu, it should be granted at the same premium value – for example, 1.5 hours of paid time off for each 1 hour of weekday overtime or 2 hours of paid time off for each 1 hour of rest-day or public-holiday work.

Rest Periods And Breaks In Tanzania

In Tanzania, employees typically work up to 9 hours per day and 45 hours per week, and rest periods and breaks are structured around these limits to protect health and safety. The law requires meal and rest breaks once an employee works more than 5 consecutive hours, and it also guarantees daily and weekly rest. As an employer, you must schedule and record these breaks so that they meaningfully interrupt work and are not merely theoretical entitlements.

• Meal Break: Employees who work more than 5 consecutive hours must receive at least a 60-minute uninterrupted meal break, which is generally unpaid unless the employee is required to remain on duty. You should schedule this break roughly in the middle of the work period to reduce fatigue and ensure safe performance.
• Daily Rest: Employees are entitled to a minimum continuous rest period of 12 hours between the end of one workday and the start of the next. When you use shift work or overtime, you must still preserve this 12-hour gap unless a lawful and documented exception applies.
• Weekly Rest: Tanzanian law provides for at least 24 consecutive hours of rest each week, typically taken on Sunday or another agreed day. If operational needs require employees to work on their usual rest day, you must provide a substitute 24-hour rest period and pay the applicable overtime premium.
• Minors: Employees under 18 are subject to stricter limits on daily and weekly hours and must receive adequate breaks suited to their age and development. You should avoid scheduling minors for evening or night work and ensure that school-going children are not employed during school hours.
• Employer Duty: You are responsible for designing rosters that comply with statutory break and rest requirements and for preventing employees from voluntarily waiving these protections. Regular audits of timesheets and shift patterns can help you identify non-compliance and adjust staffing before issues escalate into legal disputes.

Night Shifts And Weekend Regulations In Tanzania

Night and weekend work are legal in Tanzania but subject to additional employer responsibilities and employee protections. You must ensure that working-time limits, rest periods, and health and safety standards are respected even when operations run outside normal daytime hours. Particular care is required for vulnerable groups such as young workers and pregnant employees.

In Tanzania, night work is generally understood as work performed between 22:00 and 06:00, although specific sectors or collective agreements may define a slightly different window. This definition applies across most roles, including manufacturing, security, healthcare, and hospitality, whenever employees are scheduled during these hours. You should clearly label night shifts in contracts or rosters so employees understand when they are performing night work.

• Premium Pay: Tanzanian legislation does not prescribe a specific statutory night work premium, so there is no mandatory percentage such as 25% or 1.25x solely for night hours. In practice, many employers compensate night work through a contractual allowance or by applying at least a 125% (1.25x) rate for night hours, in addition to the standard 150% overtime rate where hours exceed ordinary limits.
• Health Monitoring: While there is no detailed statutory schedule for medical checks of night workers, you are expected under occupational health and safety principles to assess and manage risks associated with night shifts. Providing periodic health assessments and fatigue management training for regular night staff is considered good practice and can reduce accidents and absenteeism.
• Workplace Restrictions: Tanzanian law restricts the employment of children and young persons in night work, particularly in industrial or hazardous environments. Pregnant employees should not be compelled to work night shifts where this may pose a risk to their health or the health of the unborn child, and you should offer reasonable adjustments or alternative duties where necessary.

Weekend work, including Sunday work, is permitted in Tanzania provided that employees receive at least 24 consecutive hours of weekly rest. If an employee works on their usual weekly rest day, you must grant a substitute rest day and pay overtime at a minimum of 200% (2.0x) of the basic hourly wage for those hours. Clearly communicate weekend expectations in contracts and rosters, and avoid scheduling patterns that systematically deprive employees of meaningful weekly rest.