Working Hours and Overtime in Zambia

In Zambia, 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.

Between now and 2026, regulators in Zambia are expected to continue focusing on enforcement of accurate timekeeping, proper overtime compensation and adequate rest periods, particularly in high-risk sectors such as mining, construction, agriculture and security. Employers should proactively review contracts, shift patterns and payroll practices to ensure that normal hours, overtime, night work and rest entitlements are clearly defined, consistently applied and fully documented, reducing the risk of disputes, inspections and financial 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 Zambia?

An employee whose age is 18 or younger has a maximum of 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week. An employee whose age is 19 or older is allowed to work 48 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 Zambia

Under Zambian labour law, the standard limit for most full-time employees is 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week, excluding unpaid meal breaks. Employers should structure work schedules so that employees do not routinely exceed these limits, except where overtime is properly authorized and compensated. Any hours worked beyond the agreed normal daily or weekly schedule are generally treated as overtime and must comply with statutory caps and premium pay requirements.

Industry-Specific Exceptions

• Mining, Construction And Heavy Industry Operations
• Agriculture, Forestry And Seasonal Farm Work
• Hospital, Emergency And Health Care Services
• Security, Guarding And Surveillance Services
• Hospitality, Tourism And Catering Establishments
• Transport, Logistics And Shift-Based Operations

Managerial And Exempt Employees

Senior managerial and certain supervisory employees in Zambia may have more flexible working arrangements, particularly where their remuneration is structured to reflect broader responsibilities rather than strict hourly attendance. However, employers should not assume that all managers are automatically exempt from working-time protections. Written contracts should clearly define whether an employee is subject to standard hour limits or a more flexible regime, and employers should still monitor workloads to avoid excessive hours that could raise health, safety or constructive dismissal risks.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Zambia

Statutory full-time employment in Zambia is generally based on a 48-hour workweek, commonly spread over 5 or 6 days, depending on the sector and collective agreements. Many employers adopt a 5-day week of 8 hours per day, with a one-hour unpaid lunch break, to align with best practice and support work–life balance. Employment contracts, internal policies and shift rosters should explicitly state the normal daily and weekly hours, how breaks are scheduled, and the point at which overtime begins, ensuring transparency and compliance with the Employment Code Act and any applicable sectoral regulations.

Overtime Regulations In Zambia

What Counts As Overtime In Zambia?

In Zambia, overtime generally refers to any hours worked in excess of an employee’s normal daily or weekly working hours as specified in the employment contract, collective agreement or applicable statutory instrument. For most employees, this means work beyond 8 hours in a day or 48 hours in a week. Overtime must be expressly requested or approved by the employer, and employees should not be pressured to work additional hours off the clock or without proper recording. Employers must maintain accurate time and attendance records to demonstrate that overtime was voluntary, correctly calculated and duly paid.

Maximum Overtime In Zambia

Zambian law places limits on the amount of overtime an employee may work to protect health and safety. While specific caps can vary by sectoral regulation or collective agreement, a common benchmark is that overtime should not cause total working time to exceed an average of 12 hours in any one day, including overtime, and should be restricted to a reasonable number of hours per week and per month. Employers should implement internal policies that set clear approval processes and monthly ceilings for overtime, and should rotate overtime opportunities fairly to avoid fatigue, discrimination claims and occupational safety risks.

Overtime Payout Rates In Zambia

Overtime in Zambia must be compensated at premium rates above the employee’s normal hourly wage. For work performed beyond the standard daily or weekly hours on ordinary working days, employers commonly apply at least 150 percent of the basic hourly rate. Work performed on weekly rest days or public holidays is typically paid at a higher premium, often 200 percent of the basic hourly rate or with equivalent time off in lieu where this is agreed in writing. Employers should clearly set out overtime rates, calculation methods and any time-off-in-lieu arrangements in employment contracts and payroll policies, and ensure that all overtime payments are itemized on payslips to maintain transparency and compliance.

Rest Periods And Breaks In Zambia

In Zambia, employees typically work up to 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week, and rest periods and breaks are designed to ensure that these hours are worked safely and sustainably. Employers must schedule meal breaks during the working day, provide adequate daily rest between shifts and guarantee weekly rest days so that total working time, including overtime, does not compromise employee health, productivity or legal compliance.

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