Working Hours and Overtime in Togo

What Are The Standard Working Hours In Togo?

An employee whose age is 17 or younger has a maximum of 8 hours per day and 40 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 6 hours in a day. In typical working hours, Monday through Friday, the hours are 08:00 to 17:00.

Maximum Working Hours In Togo

Under Togolese labour law, the standard legal working time is 40 hours per week for full-time employees, usually spread over five or six days. Daily working time is commonly limited to 8 hours, and any schedule that exceeds these thresholds must be treated as overtime and compensated accordingly. Employers must clearly define working hours in employment contracts or internal regulations and communicate any changes in advance.

Collective agreements or sectoral conventions may organize working time over reference periods, but they cannot reduce statutory protections below the legal minimum. When flexible or shift systems are used, employers must ensure that the average weekly hours do not exceed 40 hours over the agreed reference period. Accurate timekeeping systems are essential to demonstrate compliance during inspections by the labour authorities.

Industry-Specific Exceptions

Companies hiring in sectors like healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, or hospitality may be subject to special scheduling rules that allow for irregular or shift-based patterns. These arrangements can permit longer daily spans of work, provided that compensatory rest and overtime premiums are correctly applied. Employers must verify any applicable collective agreements or ministerial decrees for their industry.

• 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 document how hours are averaged and how rest periods are granted so that inspectors can verify compliance. Failure to manage these exceptions correctly can result in overtime claims and administrative sanctions.

Managerial And Exempt Employees

Senior managerial staff in Togo may be classified as cadres or equivalent categories whose working time is measured more by responsibilities than by strict hourly limits. In practice, these employees can work beyond the usual 40-hour week without the same overtime entitlements as non-managerial staff, provided their higher salary reflects this arrangement. However, they still benefit from fundamental rights such as weekly rest and paid leave.

To rely on any exemption, employers should define the managerial status, scope of autonomy, and remuneration structure clearly in the employment contract. Misclassifying employees as exempt when they do not genuinely exercise managerial authority can expose you to back-pay claims for overtime and related penalties. Regular reviews of job content and titles help ensure that exemptions remain justified.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Togo

In Togo, statutory full-time work is generally based on 40 hours per week, which is the benchmark used for calculating overtime and many social security contributions. Employers may distribute these 40 hours over five days at 8 hours per day or over six days with shorter daily schedules, as long as the weekly total is respected. Any reduction or extension of this pattern should be formalized in writing.

Part-time arrangements involve a contractual schedule below 40 hours per week, with pro-rated pay and benefits. Flexible or annualized hours systems can be introduced through collective agreements, provided that the average does not exceed 40 hours per week over the agreed reference period. Clear documentation of these arrangements is crucial to avoid disputes over whether additional hours are overtime.

Overtime Regulations In Togo

Overtime in Togo must be carefully monitored, recorded, and compensated according to statutory rules and any applicable collective agreements. Employers are required to maintain accurate timesheets or electronic records showing hours worked beyond the 40-hour weekly standard. Non-compliance with overtime rules can lead to back-pay orders, fines, and potential reputational damage during labour inspections.

What Counts As Overtime In Togo?

Overtime in Togo is generally any working time performed beyond the statutory 40 hours per week for full-time employees. Hours worked beyond the normal daily schedule, such as more than 8 hours in a day, are also treated as overtime when they cause the weekly total to exceed 40 hours. Work performed on weekly rest days or public holidays is considered overtime and attracts higher premium rates.

Employers should obtain prior authorization for overtime where required by labour authorities or collective agreements. Employees should not be pressured to work overtime systematically, and consent practices must respect health and safety considerations. All overtime hours must be clearly itemized on payslips with the applicable premium rates.

Maximum Overtime In Togo

In Togo, overtime is generally capped at 20 hours per week, meaning that total working time should not exceed 60 hours in any given week. On an annual basis, the typical ceiling is 200 hours of overtime per employee, unless a collective agreement or administrative authorization allows an increase. These caps are designed to protect employee health and prevent chronic overwork.

Where extensions are permitted, they usually allow an increase up to 240 overtime hours per year, subject to prior approval from the labour inspectorate or relevant authority. Employers must track cumulative overtime for each employee to ensure that weekly and annual limits are not exceeded. If caps are breached, inspectors can order a reduction in hours and require payment of any unpaid premiums, in addition to imposing fines.

Overtime Payout Rates In Togo

Overtime pay in Togo is typically calculated as a percentage increase over the employee’s normal hourly wage. For the first tranche of overtime, up to 8 hours beyond the 40-hour weekly limit, the statutory minimum premium is 20%, meaning these hours are paid at 120% (1.2x) of the base rate. For additional overtime hours beyond this tranche, the premium generally rises to 40%, or 140% (1.4x) of the base rate.

When overtime is worked at night or on weekly rest days, the premium is usually higher, commonly 65% or 165% (1.65x) of the base hourly wage. Work performed on public holidays is often compensated at 100% premium, equivalent to 200% (2.0x) of the normal hourly rate. Employers should verify any sectoral collective agreements that may provide more favourable rates and ensure that payslips clearly show the number of overtime hours at each premium level.

Rest Periods And Breaks In Togo

In Togo, employees typically work around 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week, and rest periods are structured to protect health and productivity within this framework. Daily and weekly rest entitlements are designed to offset the intensity of standard working hours and any authorized overtime. Employers must integrate these breaks into work schedules and ensure they are actually taken, not just theoretically granted.

• Meal Break: Employees who work more than 6 consecutive hours in Togo are entitled to a meal break of at least 30 minutes, which should be scheduled roughly in the middle of the workday. This break is generally unpaid unless a collective agreement or company policy provides otherwise.
• Daily Rest: Workers must receive a minimum uninterrupted daily rest period of 11 hours between the end of one workday and the start of the next. Employers using shift systems must design rosters so that this 11-hour gap is consistently respected.
• Weekly Rest: Employees are entitled to at least 24 consecutive hours of weekly rest, typically on Sunday, in addition to the daily rest period. If business needs require Sunday work, a substitute rest day of at least 24 hours must be granted during the same week.
• Minors: Young workers under 18 benefit from stricter rest and break rules, including shorter maximum daily hours and more frequent pauses. Employers must avoid scheduling minors for night work or extended shifts that could compromise their schooling or health.
• Employer Duty: Employers in Togo are responsible for organizing work so that statutory breaks and rest periods are practically achievable, not just written in policies. They should keep schedules and attendance records that demonstrate compliance in case of labour inspections or disputes.

Night Shifts And Weekend Regulations In Togo

Night and weekend work are legal in Togo but subject to additional employer responsibilities and employee protections. You must pay particular attention to health and safety, scheduling, and premium pay rules when organizing such work. Failure to do so can lead to sanctions and increased liability in the event of workplace accidents.

Night work in Togo is generally defined as work performed between 22:00 and 05:00, although some collective agreements may extend this window from 21:00 to 06:00. This definition applies across most roles, including industrial, service, and security staff, unless a specific sectoral rule provides otherwise. Employees who regularly work during this period are considered night workers and benefit from special protections.

• Premium Pay: In Togo, night work is commonly compensated with a minimum premium of 30%, meaning night hours are paid at 130% (1.3x) of the normal hourly wage. Some collective agreements in sectors such as security or healthcare may increase this premium to 40% or 150% (1.5x) for late-night or rotating shifts.
• Health Monitoring: Regular night workers should receive periodic health assessments to monitor fatigue, sleep disorders, and other risks associated with night schedules. Employers are encouraged to adapt work organization or reassign employees if medical evaluations show that night work endangers their health.
• Workplace Restrictions: Minors under 18 are generally prohibited from night work in Togo, except for narrowly defined apprenticeships with special safeguards. Pregnant workers should not be required to perform night shifts, and employers are expected to offer day work or suitable adjustments without loss of basic pay.

Weekend work, particularly on Sunday, is normally treated as work on the weekly rest day and is therefore exceptional. Employees required to work on Sunday must receive either a premium, often 65% or 165% (1.65x) of the base rate, or a substitute rest day of at least 24 consecutive hours within the same week. Work on public holidays is typically paid at a 100% premium, equivalent to 200% (2.0x) of the normal hourly wage, in addition to any Sunday premium if both coincide.