Working Hours and Overtime in Uzbekistan

In Uzbekistan, 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, expect closer scrutiny of working-time records, overtime practices, and rest-period compliance by labour authorities. Employers should formalize internal policies, ensure employment contracts reflect lawful schedules, and implement reliable timekeeping systems that capture all hours worked, including overtime and night work. Proactive compliance – supported by training for managers and regular internal audits – will help you avoid disputes, back-pay liabilities, and administrative penalties.

• 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 Uzbekistan?

An employee whose age is 15 or younger has a maximum of 4 hours per day and 20 hours per week. An employee whose age is 16 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 4 hours in a day. In typical working hours, Monday through Friday, the hours are 9:00 to 18:00.

Maximum Working Hours In Uzbekistan

Under Uzbek labour legislation, the general statutory working time for adult employees is capped at 40 hours per week, usually spread over five working days. A standard workday is typically 8 hours, although employers may use a six-day schedule with shorter daily hours as long as the weekly total does not exceed 40 hours. Any schedule you design must be clearly reflected in employment contracts or internal regulations and communicated to employees in advance.

Reduced working hours apply to certain categories of workers. Employees under 18, employees in hazardous or harmful working conditions, and some categories of disabled employees are entitled to shorter working weeks without a reduction in pay. Employers must verify whether any employee falls into a protected category and adjust their schedules accordingly to avoid unlawful overwork.

Industry-Specific Exceptions

• Continuous-Process Manufacturing And Utilities
• Healthcare And Emergency Services
• Transport, Logistics, And Aviation
• Retail, Hospitality, And Service Sectors
• Agriculture And Seasonal Field Work
• Security, Guarding, And Shift-Based Operations

Managerial And Exempt Employees

Senior managers and certain highly autonomous specialists in Uzbekistan may have more flexible working-time arrangements, but they are not fully exempt from labour protections. Even where an employment contract provides for an irregular working day, you must still respect overall health and safety limits, ensure reasonable rest periods, and avoid systematic overwork without compensation. Written job descriptions should clearly define which roles are subject to irregular hours and on what basis.

For managerial staff with irregular working days, overtime may be compensated through higher base salaries, additional leave, or other benefits, provided this is clearly documented and does not result in effective working time that breaches statutory limits. Employers should maintain reliable records of working time for all employees – including managers – to demonstrate compliance in the event of an inspection or dispute.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Uzbekistan

Full-time employment in Uzbekistan is generally understood as 40 hours per week for adult employees working under normal conditions. This is the benchmark used for calculating overtime thresholds, pro-rated salaries for part-time staff, and entitlements such as annual leave. Any reduction or extension of this norm must be grounded in the Labour Code or in a valid collective agreement.

Part-time arrangements – for example, 20 or 30 hours per week – are permitted by mutual agreement and must be documented in the employment contract. Part-time employees enjoy the same labour protections as full-time staff, with pay and benefits adjusted proportionally to their working time unless the law provides otherwise for specific entitlements.

Overtime Regulations In Uzbekistan

What Counts As Overtime In Uzbekistan?

Overtime in Uzbekistan is generally any time worked beyond the employee’s established daily or weekly norm – most commonly more than 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week for adult employees. Overtime must be ordered or at least expressly approved by the employer; you should not rely on informal arrangements or unrecorded extra hours, as these can create legal and financial exposure.

Overtime is typically allowed only in exceptional cases, such as urgent production needs, prevention of accidents, or completion of time-sensitive tasks. Certain categories of employees – including pregnant women, some disabled employees, and minors – are either prohibited from overtime or may only perform it with strict limitations and written consent. Employers must obtain written consent where required and keep documentation for audit purposes.

Maximum Overtime In Uzbekistan

Uzbek law restricts the amount of overtime that can be imposed on an employee within specific reference periods. While exact limits can vary depending on the legal basis and sector, a common framework is that overtime should not exceed 4 hours over two consecutive days and 120 hours in a calendar year per employee. You should verify the applicable caps in the current Labour Code and any sectoral regulations or collective agreements.

Employers must plan staffing and shift patterns so that operational needs are met without systematically relying on overtime. Regularly exceeding statutory caps – even with employee consent – can be treated as a violation of working-time rules. Accurate timekeeping systems, periodic reviews of overtime usage, and advance planning for peak periods are essential to remain compliant.

Overtime Payout Rates In Uzbekistan

Overtime work in Uzbekistan must be compensated at a premium rate over the employee’s regular hourly wage. As a general rule, the first hours of overtime are paid at not less than 1.5 times the normal hourly rate, and overtime beyond that may be paid at 2 times the normal rate, subject to the minimums set by law or collective agreements. Employers may offer higher multipliers as a matter of policy or collective bargaining.

Instead of or in addition to higher pay, employees may agree to receive compensatory time off for overtime worked, provided that the total value of the compensation is at least equivalent to the statutory premium. All overtime – whether paid in cash or compensated with time off – should be clearly reflected on payslips and in working-time records. Failure to correctly calculate and document overtime premiums is a common source of disputes and labour inspections.

Rest Periods And Breaks In Uzbekistan

In Uzbekistan, most adult employees work around 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week, and the Labour Code links these standard hours to mandatory rest periods and breaks to protect employee health and safety. As an employer, you must build meal breaks, daily rest between shifts, and weekly rest days directly into your working-time schedules so that no employee’s actual working pattern – including overtime – undermines these protections.

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