How many hours should you work each week? When does overtime kick in, and how much should you be paid? These are fundamental questions for anyone navigating South Africa’s workplace, yet confusion about working time rules can lead to disputes, exhaustion, and legal headaches for both employees and employers.
This guide explains South Africa’s working hours and overtime regulations under the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA), covering weekly and daily limits, overtime pay rates, rest breaks, and special rules for night work.
Key takeaways
- Ordinary hours are usually capped at 45 hours per week, with daily limits of 9 hours (five days or fewer) or 8 hours (more than five days)
- Overtime must be agreed, is limited to 3 hours per day and 10 hours per week, and must be paid at least 1.5 times your normal wage
- You’re entitled to a meal break after 5 hours, at least 12 hours daily rest, and 36 consecutive hours weekly rest
- Sunday and public holiday work attracts premium rates, typically double time
- Night work (18:00–06:00) requires additional protections including allowances, transport, and health assessments
- Compressed weeks (up to 12 hours per day) and averaging (over up to 4 months) are possible with proper agreements
- Both parties should keep detailed records to support compliance and resolve disputes
Understanding working time – the basics
Working time is any period when you’re working and at your employer’s disposal. This means you’re either performing your duties or available and waiting to work—not just clocking in and out.
The BCEA sets clear boundaries to protect employees from excessive hours whilst giving employers the flexibility to manage their operations effectively.
Ordinary working hours – the limits
Most employees in South Africa may not work more than 45 ordinary hours per week. How those hours are distributed across your working days depends on your schedule:
If you work five days or fewer per week
- Your daily cap is 9 hours maximum.
Example: If you work Monday to Friday, you could work 9 hours each day (totalling 45 hours), or spread your 45 hours differently across those five days—perhaps 8 hours on four days and 9 hours on one day.
If you work more than five days per week
- Your daily cap drops to 8 hours maximum.
Example: If you work six days a week, you might work 7.5 hours on each of those days (totalling 45 hours weekly), staying within both the daily and weekly limits.
These caps apply to “ordinary hours”—the time before overtime begins.
Overtime – when extra hours need extra pay
Overtime is any work beyond your normal contracted hours. However, it’s not unlimited, and it comes with strict rules designed to protect both your wellbeing and your wallet.
The golden rules of overtime
- It must be voluntary and agreed – Your employer cannot force you to work overtime. You need either an individual agreement or a collective agreement in place.
- Daily limit: 3 hours maximum – You cannot be asked to work more than 3 hours of overtime on any single day.
- Weekly limit: 10 hours maximum – Across the entire week, overtime is capped at 10 hours total.
Example: If you normally work 9 hours Monday to Friday (45 hours), you could work an additional 2 hours of overtime on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (6 hours total overtime that week), but not 3 hours every day, as that would exceed the 10-hour weekly cap.
Overtime pay rates
When you do work overtime, you’re entitled to premium pay:
- Standard overtime – At least 1.5 times your normal wage for each hour worked beyond your ordinary hours.
- Time off in lieu – By agreement, you can receive paid time off equivalent to the overtime worked instead of cash payment.
Example: If your normal hourly rate is R100, overtime must pay at least R150 per hour.
Sunday and public holiday work
Different rates apply when you work on Sundays or public holidays:
- If Sunday is not ordinarily a working day – You must be paid double time (2× your normal rate), or receive paid time off by agreement.
- If Sunday is ordinarily a working day – The rate drops to 1.5 times your normal wage.
Public holidays – Similar rules apply, with premium rates required unless alternative arrangements are agreed.
Always check your sectoral determination or collective agreement, as these may provide more generous rates.
Rest breaks – your right to recharge
The BCEA recognises that rest is essential for health, safety, and productivity. Several types of rest periods are mandated by law.
Meal intervals
- After 5 hours of continuous work, you’re entitled to a meal break of at least 60 minutes.
- By written agreement, this can be reduced to 30 minutes—but not eliminated entirely.
Exception: If your working day is 6 hours or less, the meal interval may be waived by agreement.
Important: Meal breaks are unpaid unless your contract states otherwise. You should be free to leave your workstation and use this time as you wish.
Daily rest between shifts
- You must have at least 12 consecutive hours of rest between the end of one working period and the start of the next.
Example: If you finish work at 18:00 on Monday, your employer cannot require you to return before 06:00 on Tuesday.
This rule prevents “clopening” shifts and ensures you have adequate time to sleep, commute, and attend to personal needs.
Weekly rest period
- Every employee is entitled to at least 36 consecutive hours of rest each week.
By default, this rest period should include Sunday, though it can be scheduled for a different day by agreement or in line with operational requirements.
Example: If you work Tuesday through Saturday, your weekly rest period might run from Saturday evening through Monday morning.
Night work – special protections
Night work is defined as any work performed between 18:00 and 06:00. Because night shifts can affect health, sleep patterns, and safety, the BCEA requires additional protections.
Entitlements for night workers
- An allowance or reduced hours – Employers must either pay a night-work allowance or reduce your working hours compared to day workers performing similar duties.
- Transport arrangements – For regular night workers, employers should arrange safe transport to and from work, particularly where public transport is unavailable or unsafe at those hours.
- Health assessments – Regular night workers are entitled to medical evaluations to ensure night work isn’t harming their health.
Who counts as a “regular” night worker?
You’re considered a regular night worker if you work nights more frequently than occasionally or on a rotational basis that includes frequent night shifts. Exact thresholds may depend on your industry or collective agreement.
Flexible arrangements – compressed weeks and averaging
The BCEA allows some flexibility through special arrangements, provided they’re properly documented and still respect overall limits.
Compressed work weeks
By written agreement, you can work up to 12 hours per day without triggering overtime, as long as:
- Your weekly hours don’t exceed the BCEA maximums
- Other protective measures (rest periods, etc.) are maintained
- The arrangement genuinely compresses a full week’s work into fewer days
Example: You might work four 10-hour days (40 hours total) and have a three-day weekend, without any of those hours counting as overtime.
This arrangement suits employees who prefer longer days in exchange for extra days off, and it can help employers manage operational needs more efficiently.
Averaging over multiple weeks
- A collective agreement may permit averaging ordinary hours over a period of up to four months.
This means some weeks might exceed 45 hours whilst others fall below it, provided the average across the entire period complies with BCEA limits.
Example: In a seasonal business, you might work 50 hours one week and 40 hours the next, averaging 45 hours over the month.
Requirements:
- Must be done through a collective agreement (not individual contracts)
- Detailed records must be kept
- Overtime averages must also be monitored
Use timesheets or workforce management software to track compliance and avoid inadvertently breaching limits.
Who falls outside these rules?
Certain categories of employees are excluded from some or all of the working time provisions, including:
- Senior managerial employees
- Sales staff who work mainly away from the employer’s premises and regulate their own hours
- Employees who earn above a specified threshold and whose conditions of employment are substantially determined through individual contracts
If you’re unsure whether the BCEA working time rules apply to you, check your employment contract or seek advice from the Department of Employment and Labour or a labour law specialist.
Record-keeping – why documentation matters
Both employees and employers benefit from meticulous record-keeping:
What employers should keep
- Employment contracts showing agreed ordinary hours
- Written overtime agreements (individual or collective)
- Rosters and shift schedules
- Time records showing actual hours worked
- Calculations of overtime pay
- Night-work assessments and transport arrangements
- Any averaging or compressed-week agreements
These records help resolve queries quickly, demonstrate compliance during inspections, and protect both parties if disputes arise.
What employees should track
Keep your own record of:
- Hours worked each day and week
- Overtime hours and pay received
- Rest breaks taken (or missed)
- Any concerns raised with management about excessive hours
If discrepancies arise, your personal records can support your case.
For employees – protecting your rights
Know your limits
Don’t feel pressured to agree to overtime if you’re already fatigued, managing health conditions, or need time for family responsibilities. Overtime must be voluntary—”voluntary” means you have a genuine choice.
Review agreements carefully
Before signing any overtime agreement, compressed-week arrangement, or night-work opt-in, make sure you understand:
- How many extra hours you’re committing to
- What you’ll be paid
- Whether you can withdraw from the agreement later
- How it affects your rest periods and work-life balance
Speak up about fatigue
If you’re working excessive hours and feeling the effects—whether through formal overtime or pressure to work beyond your contracted hours—raise it with your manager, HR, or your union representative. Fatigue creates safety risks and health problems that no job is worth.
Common pitfalls to avoid
- Signing open-ended overtime commitments without understanding the implications
- Failing to track your actual hours worked
- Not requesting meal breaks you’re entitled to
- Assuming “it’s just part of the job” when asked to work excessive hours without proper compensation
For employers – managing working time fairly
Your rights
You’re entitled to schedule work in a way that meets operational needs, request overtime by agreement, and implement compressed weeks or averaging arrangements with proper documentation.
Your responsibilities
- Obtain genuine agreement – Don’t pressure employees into overtime or treat refusals as insubordination.
- Pay correct rates – Ensure overtime, Sunday work, and public holiday premiums are calculated and paid correctly.
- Monitor limits – Track daily, weekly, and overtime hours to avoid breaching BCEA caps.
- Provide rest breaks – Enforce meal intervals and ensure adequate rest between shifts and each week.
- Implement night-work protections – Where employees regularly work nights, provide allowances or reduced hours, arrange transport, and conduct health assessments.
- Keep detailed records – Documentation protects you during labour inspections and dispute resolution processes.
Conducting risk assessments
For safety-critical roles – transport, machinery operation, healthcare – conduct fatigue risk assessments. Long hours in these environments can have catastrophic consequences.
Consider implementing:
- Maximum shift lengths beyond BCEA minimums
- Mandatory rest breaks during long shifts
- Rotation patterns that minimise cumulative fatigue
- Fitness-for-duty checks before safety-critical shifts
Common pitfalls to avoid
- Treating overtime as mandatory or punishing refusals
- Paying below the required overtime rates
- Failing to count “regular” extra hours when planning schedules
- Ignoring rest-break requirements during busy periods
- Not having written agreements for compressed weeks or night work
Why these rules matter
Working time regulations aren’t arbitrary red tape. They’re built on decades of research showing that excessive hours harm health, increase accidents, damage family relationships, and ultimately reduce productivity.
For employees, these rules protect your wellbeing and ensure you’re fairly compensated when you do work extra hours.
For employers, compliance creates a more sustainable workforce, reduces disputes, and demonstrates your commitment to fair labour practices.
FAQ: Working hours and overtime in South Africa
What is the maximum I can work per week?
Ordinary hours are usually capped at 45 per week. Overtime by agreement can add up to 10 hours, within a maximum of 3 hours per day.
Is overtime pay compulsory in South Africa?
Yes, if you work agreed overtime you must be paid at least 1.5 times your normal wage, or receive equivalent paid time off. Different rules apply for Sundays and public holidays, typically requiring double time.
When do I get a meal break?
After 5 hours of continuous work, you must receive a 60-minute break (or 30 minutes by written agreement). You’re also entitled to daily rest of at least 12 hours between shifts and weekly rest of at least 36 consecutive hours.
What counts as night work?
Any work between 18:00 and 06:00. Night workers are entitled to either an allowance or reduced hours, plus transport arrangements and health assessments for regular night work.
Can hours be averaged over months?
Yes, a collective agreement can permit averaging hours over up to 4 months, but the averages must still meet BCEA weekly and overtime limits.
What if my employer exceeds the working time limits?
You can raise a grievance internally, report non-compliance to the Department of Employment and Labour, or seek assistance from your union or the CCMA.
Can I refuse to work overtime?
Yes, overtime must be voluntary and agreed. You cannot be dismissed or disciplined simply for refusing overtime, though persistent refusal in an emergency or where you’ve agreed in advance may be viewed differently.
Do the same rules apply to all employees?
Most employees are covered, but certain categories (senior managers, some sales staff, high earners with individualised contracts) may fall outside some provisions. Check your specific situation.
Fair working time practices aren’t just about legal compliance—they’re an investment in your workforce’s health, safety, and long-term sustainability.
Disclaimer: This article provides general information only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific situations, consult the Department of Employment and Labour or an employment law specialist.
Sources
- Department of Employment and Labour basic guide to working hours
- Basic Conditions of Employment Act official text
- Department of Employment and Labour code of good practice on arranging working time
- Western Cape Government summary of meal breaks and rest periods
