Working Hours and Overtime in Togo

In Togo, 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 workforce schedules through 2026, you should expect closer scrutiny of working-time practices, more active enforcement of rest and overtime rules, and growing employee expectations around work–life balance. Employers will need robust timekeeping systems, clear internal policies, and well-trained managers to ensure that standard hours, overtime, and rest periods are applied consistently and transparently. Aligning your practices with the Labour Code and any applicable collective agreements will reduce legal risk and support retention in a competitive labour market.

• 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 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 8:00 to 17:00.

Maximum Working Hours In Togo

Under Togolese labour law, the statutory full-time schedule is generally capped at 40 hours per week for most employees, usually spread over five 8-hour days. Daily working time should not normally exceed 8 hours, and any arrangement that regularly pushes employees beyond this threshold should be carefully reviewed and documented. Employers are expected to organise work so that employees do not systematically exceed the weekly limit, except in clearly defined overtime situations that comply with legal and collective agreement rules.

Industry-Specific Exceptions

• Continuous Process Industries (Such As Energy And Utilities)
• Healthcare And Emergency Services
• Hospitality, Tourism, And Catering
• Agriculture And Seasonal Harvest Activities
• Transport, Logistics, And Port Operations

Managerial And Exempt Employees

Senior managers and certain categories of trusted employees may have more flexible schedules, often measured by responsibilities and objectives rather than strict hourly tracking. However, employers should not assume that all managers are automatically exempt from working-time protections. Written employment contracts and internal policies should clearly define whether a role is subject to the standard 40-hour week, how additional hours are compensated or offset, and what rest and recovery periods still apply. Even for exempt staff, employers remain responsible for preventing excessive working hours that could endanger health and safety.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Togo

For most sectors, full-time employment in Togo is based on a 40-hour workweek. This is typically organised as five 8-hour days, though some employers may operate six shorter days, provided the total weekly hours do not exceed the statutory limit. Any deviation from this framework should be grounded in the Labour Code, applicable collective agreements, or authorised company-level arrangements, and must still respect mandatory rest periods and overtime rules.

Overtime Regulations In Togo

What Counts As Overtime In Togo?

In Togo, overtime is generally any working time performed beyond the statutory 40-hour workweek or beyond the normal daily schedule set in the employment contract or collective agreement. Hours worked at the employer’s request before or after the usual shift, on weekly rest days, or on public holidays are typically treated as overtime. Employers should ensure that overtime is expressly authorised, recorded accurately, and not used as a substitute for proper workforce planning.

Maximum Overtime In Togo

Togolese rules limit the amount of overtime that can be imposed on employees to protect their health and safety. While specific caps can vary by sector or collective agreement, employers should plan so that overtime remains exceptional rather than routine, and does not push total working time to an excessive level over the week or month. In practice, this means monitoring overtime at both individual and team level, obtaining any required approvals from labour authorities where higher volumes are needed, and ensuring that employees still receive their daily and weekly rest.

Overtime Payout Rates In Togo

Overtime work in Togo must be compensated at enhanced rates above the employee’s normal hourly wage. Common practice, in line with regional standards and many collective agreements, is to apply a premium for hours worked beyond 40 per week, with higher rates for night work, work on weekly rest days, and work on public holidays. Employers may also offer time off in lieu where permitted, but only if the arrangement is clearly agreed with the employee and provides an equivalent benefit to the statutory overtime pay. Payroll systems should be configured to calculate overtime premiums correctly and to reflect any sector-specific rules.

Rest Periods And Breaks In Togo

Employees in Togo typically work up to 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week, and rest periods and breaks are designed to protect their health within this framework. Employers must schedule work so that employees receive a minimum meal break when they work more than a set number of hours in a day, and they must also ensure that daily and weekly rest periods are respected. These protections apply across sectors and should be integrated into shift planning, timekeeping, and overtime management.

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