Working Hours and Overtime Pay in Pakistan (2024)

What are the laws in Pakistan relating to working hours?

We have seven different set of laws that set the working hours, rest intervals and different types of holidays. These are:

Factories Legislation

  1. Factories Act 1934 (applicable in ICT and Balochistan);
  2. Factories Act 1934 (adapted for the ProvinceofPunjabby the Factories (Amendment) Act 2012;
  3. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Factories Act 2013;
  4. The Sindh Factories Act 2016

Shops and Establishments Legislation

  1. The Shops and Establishments Ordinance 1969 (applicable in ICT and Balochistan);
  2. The Punjab Shops and Establishments Ordinance 1969 (amended in 2014;
  3. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Shops and Establishments Act 2015;
  4. The Sindh Shops and Commercial Establishment Act 2015

Standing Orders Legislation

  1. The Industrial and Commercial Employment (Standing Order) Ordinance 1968 (applicable in ICT and Balochistan);
  2. The Industrial and Commercial Employment (Standing Order) Ordinance 1968 (2012, applicable to Punjab);
  3. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Industrial and Commercial Employment (Standing Order) Act 2013;
  4. The Sindh Terms of Employment (Standing Orders) Act 2015

Other Legislation

  1. Mines Act 1923
  2. Newspaper Employees (Conditions of Service) Act 1973
  3. Road Transport Workers Ordinance 1961
  4. Railways Act 1890

How will I know which of these laws is applicable to establishment I am working in?

The Factories Act is applicable mainly to the manufacturing processes and is applicable on any factory where ten or more people are working or were working on any day in the preceding 12 months. The Standing Orders Ordinance is applicable to the commercial or industrial establishments where 20 or more workers are employed or were employed during the last 12 months. The Shops and Establishments Ordinance is applicable to all establishments irrespective of the number of employees. So, if you are working in an establishment employing less than ten workers, this Ordinance is applicable to your organization.

The Mines Act is applicable to any excavation where any operation for the purpose of searching for or obtaining minerals has been or is being carried on, and includes all works, machinery, tramways and sidings, whether above or below ground, in or adjacent to or belonging to a mine. However, you will not be covered under this act if you are engaged in the manufacturing process even on the same premises unless it is for co*ke making or the dressing of minerals.

The Newspaper Employees Act is applicable to any establishment for the production, printing or publication of one or more newspapers or for conducting any news agency or syndicate. Road Transport Workers Ordinance is applicable to any service for carrying passengers or goods or both by road in vehicles for hire or reward. Railways Act is applicable to all persons employed in railway whether they are intermittent or regular employees.

Law

Applicability

Type of Establishment

Minimum Number of Employees

Factories Act, 1934 (Punjab:2012; KPK:2013; Sindh : 2016)

Factory/manufacturing process

10 or more employees

The Shops and Establishments Ordinance, 1969 (ICT, Balochistan (Punjab:2014; KPK:2015;Sindh: 2015)

All types of establishments

No minimum number

Standing Order Ordinance, 1968 (ICT,Balochistan) (Punjab:2012; KPK:2013;Sindh: 2015)

Commercial or industrial establishments

20 or more employees

10 or more employees in KP and Sindh

Mines Act, 1923

All types of mines

No minimum number

Newspaper Employees (Conditions of Service) Act, 1973

Establishment for production, printing or publication of one or more newspapers

No minimum number

Road Transport Workers Ordinance, 1961

Any service for carrying passengers or goods or both by road

No minimum number

Railways Act, 1890

Railways

No minimum number

What are the daily and weekly working hours? When does the overtime start and what is rate of overtime?

The normal daily working hours range between 8-9 hours with the condition that weekly working hours should not exceed 48 hours. After including lunch and prayer time breaks, total hours cannot exceed 10 hours. Keeping in view the business needs, you may be required to work overtime. The daily spread over (time between entry into and exit from the premises) of working hours for adult workers will be 12 hours as shown below.

Spread Over

Normal working time

8 hours/day (on some days, it can be 9 hours)

Total Spread over of working hours can’t be greater than 12 hours a day

Lunch/prayer time

1 hour/day

Overtime

2 hours/day (on some days, it may extend to three hours)

The maximum weekly overtime hours are 12 hours. Keeping that weekly limit, workers may work 2-3 hours overtime while considering the above spread over limits. The total yearly overtime work hours should also not exceed 624 hours. Moreover, you should also be aware that lunch breaks and rest intervals are unpaid time, so you will not be receiving any remuneration for this. You also need to know that if you are a young person (your age is greater than 14 but less than 17 years), you can be required to work 1.5 hours a day overtime but your total overtime hours in a year can’t exceed 468 hours. If you are a woman, you can work only up to 10:00 pm and this is only in the condition if the employer arranges transport for pick up and drop facility.Women workers are not allowed to work more than 9 hours in any day (this included lunch and rest).

If your employer does not arrange transport for you, your working hours must be between 06:00 a.m. to 07:00 p.m. The same working hours count for adolescents. If you are a road transport service employee, you can’t be required to work for more than 8 hours in a day and 48 hours in a week. Moreover, after five hours of work, you are to be given at least half an hour break and if you are required to work for over seven hours, you must have availed at least two such half an hour intervals. On Friday, the working hours are reduced by 3 hours.

Similarly, if you are mine worker (above or below ground), you can’t be required to work more than eight hours a day and forty-eight hours a week. The spread over for workers working above ground is 12 hours however for the workers below ground the spread over is fixed at 8 hours which also means that they can’t be required to work overtime. During the month of Ramazan, the working hours are reduced by two hours in all establishments. Notifications are also issued in this regard.

Ramazan timings for offices working 5-day week
Sr. NoDaysTimings
1.Monday to Thursday08 am to 02 pm
2.Friday08 am to 01 pm
Ramazan timingsfor offices working 6-day week
Sr. NoDaysTimings
1.Monday to Thursday08 am to 01 pm
2.Friday08 am to 12 pm

What is the overtime pay and how I become eligible for it?

Every employee in a factory, except those employedsolely in a clerical capacity in any room or place where no manufacturing process is being carried on(applicable in Balochistan, KPK, Punjab and ICT) or executive/managerial capacity (applicable in all provinces)is eligible for the overtime pay. If you work for more than 8 hours in a day or more than 48 hours in a week (while working in a non-seasonal factory), you are eligible for this extra/overtime pay. If you are working in a seasonal factory, you can't be eligible for overtime rate of pay unless you work for more than 50 hours in a week. The rate of overtime pay is double the ordinary rate of pay. You are under obligation to work overtime whenever (so, it is not voluntary) the employer requires you to do so. However, in case you can't perform overtime work you are supposed to offer sufficient causes/reasons regarding your inability to do so.

The same rules are applicable if you are employed under Mines Act or Newspaper Employees Act or Road Transport Workers Ordinance. However, if you are employed under Railways Act, and in case of exceptional pressure of work you will be paid overtime not lower than one and a quarter time (1.25) your ordinary rate of pay.

Overtime Rates under Different Laws

Law

Overtime Rate

All employment laws (except Railways Act)

Double the rate of pay (2X)

Railways Act

One and a quarter time (1.25X)

How is overtime calculated?

The first thing to remember is that your overtime is calculated on the basis of your ordinary pay or gross salary. Considering that you work in an organization other than Railways, your overtime rate is twice the rate of ordinary pay. Consider the following case.

Your monthly wage: PKR 20,000

Normal working hours: 8 hours/ day ( 48 hours a week)

Working days in a month: 26 days (one weekly holiday)

Total Overtime hours that you worked: 30 hours

Here is the formula:

Working Hours and Overtime Pay in Pakistan (1)

Similarly, you can calculate your overtime payments by incorporating 1.25 in place of 2, if you are a railway worker.

Does the law provide for rest intervals?

Yes, your employer has to give you rest interval of an hour after every six hours of work or you can’t be compelled to work more than five hours before rest interval of at least half an hour. If your employer wants you to work more than eight and a half hours, you must be given at least two intervals each of half an hour.

View this article in Urdu

Working Hours and Overtime Pay in Pakistan (2024)

FAQs

How is overtime pay calculated in Pakistan? ›

In accordance with the section 47 of Factories Act, 1934; if a worker works beyond the stipulated working hours, i.e., 9 hours a day and 48 hours a week, he is entitled to an overtime pay that is double the rate of his ordinary pay (200% of the normal wage rate).

How many hours are allowed for overtime work? ›

Art. 87. Overtime work. Work may be performed beyond eight (8) hours a day provided that the employee is paid for the overtime work, an additional compensation equivalent to his regular wage plus at least twenty-five percent (25%) thereof.

What are the official working hours in Pakistan? ›

Know more about labour laws of working hours and overtime pay in Pakistan. According to the law, your normal working hours per day are 8-9 hours and these should not be more than 48 hours per week. By including the lunch and prayer time in hours of work, working hours should not be greater than 9 hours a day.

What is the rule of overtime? ›

Section 51 and Section 59 of the Factories Act - 1948[2] states, “No employee is supposed to work for more than 48 hours in a week and 9 hours in a day. Any employee who works for more than this period is eligible for overtime remuneration prescribed as twice the amount of ordinary wages.”

Is overtime on basic salary? ›

Basic salary is a rate of pay agreed upon by an employer and employee and does not include overtime or any extra compensation.

What is the overtime pay rate? ›

Under Sec. 33 it is mentioned that for overtime wages are to be paid at the rate of twice the ordinary rates of wages of the worker. Under Sec. 17 & 18 of the Act relating to working hours, it is mentioned that the period of work including over time work should not exceed 10 hours in a day and 54 hours in a week.

How do you calculate overtime pay per hour? ›

Frequently Asked Questions About Overtime Pay
  1. Divide the worker's daily rate by eight hours to get their hourly rate.
  2. Multiply the hourly rate by 110% (10% of the employee's hourly rate) for the night shift hourly rate.
  3. Take the worker's night shift hourly rate and multiply it by the number of hours worked.
22 Oct 2021

How much overtime is allowed in a month? ›

This means 48 hours overtime can be taken in a month (12 hours X 04 weeks = 48 hours). 4. Another catch is, even though 04 hours per day or 48 hours per month OT can be availed, the quarterly overtime should be restricted to 75 hours and no employee should continue overtime for more than 07 days at a stretch.

Is lunch time included in working hours? ›

Ordinarily, a lunch-break is not part of of an employee's working hours.

What is minimum wage in Pakistan? ›

Pakistan's Minimum Wage is the lowest amount a worker can be legally paid for his work. Most countries have a nation-wide minimum wage that all workers must be paid. Pakistan's minimum wage is 15,000 Pakistani rupees per month ($150).

What are employment laws in Pakistan? ›

The main sources of employment law are as follows. The West Pakistan Shops and Establishments Ordinance 1969 regulates the work hours and other conditions of work and employment of persons employed in shops and commercial, industrial and other establishments in Pakistan. Applicable on employees.

What is labour policy in Pakistan? ›

The Labour Policy envisages a harmonious working relationship between workers and employers for improving the performance and efficiency of the industry. The rights and obligations based approach to labour issues is being followed also in accordance with the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

Is overtime without pay legal? ›

Is it legal to work overtime without pay? No (in most cases — see exceptions in the question below). According to US federal law, it's illegal to not compensate non-exempt employees for working overtime, even if they do it without the employer's approval.

Is 9 hours working legal? ›

Work Hours and Overtime Pay in India. Working Hours in India: As per the Factories Act 1948, every adult (a person who has completed 18 years of age) cannot work for more than 48 hours in a week and not more than 9 hours in a day.

Is it compulsory to do overtime? ›

Your contract or statement might say you need to do some work on top of your usual working hours - this is called overtime. You only have to work overtime if your contract says so. You don't have to work overtime if you could show the extra hours would make you earn less than the national minimum wage.

How do you calculate overtime pay in 8 hours? ›

Calculating Overtime for Hourly Employees

Overtime pay is calculated: Hourly pay rate x 1.5 x overtime hours worked. Here is an example of total pay for an employee who worked 42 hours in a workweek: Regular pay rate x 40 hours = Regular pay, plus. Regular pay rate x 1.5 x 2 hours = Overtime pay, equals.

How do you calculate overtime pay for monthly employees? ›

Step 1: Calculate regular rate of pay by dividing salary by total hours worked. Step 2: Calculate overtime pay by multiplying the hours of overtime worked by one-half the regular rate of pay. Step 3: Add overtime time to salary to determine total pay.

What is OT formula? ›

In most cases, overtime pay rate is 1.5 times the employee's regular rate of pay, which is commonly referred to as “time and a half”.

How many overtime hours is too much? ›

But new estimates show that there are limits. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration dictates that any work time of more than 40 hours in one week, voluntarily or otherwise, is defined as overtime and demands appropriate compensation.

How long is the working hours? ›

The traditional American business hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday, representing a workweek of five eight-hour days comprising 40 hours in total.

Can I refuse to work overtime? ›

Overtime is voluntary and employees have the right to refuse.

Can my boss force me to work overtime? ›

Your employer cannot make you work more hours than you are contracted. Your contract might say something about overtime, but this should be very clearly described. Usually, your contract will say something like 'reasonable overtime may be required from time to time, in accordance with the needs of the business'.

How do you calculate hours worked? ›

Add up the number of hours from each week to get your total. Divide by the total number of weeks. The resulting number is the average hours you would have worked during weeks when you took your previous leave.

What is the hourly rate in Pakistan? ›

According to Salary Explorer, the average hourly wage in Pakistan is 470 PKR (USD 2.85). In comparison, employees in the USA, India, and Ukraine earn USD 46, 2.43, and 4.83 per hour, respectively.

What is the minimum wage rate in Pakistan 2022? ›

The province of Punjab has revised the minimum wage from PKR 20,000 to PKR 25,000 rupees per month for unskilled work. Similarly, the minimum wages for 102 sectors/industries and various skill categories have also been raised, effective from 01 July 2022.

What is a basic salary? ›

A basic salary is the amount of money you earn before any add-ons or deductions. One may earn a certain amount and then get dividends from shares or overtime remuneration. Those at a junior level usually take a higher percentage of their basic salary compared to those at senior level.

Does company pay after termination? ›

With regards to payment of full and final payment after an employee quits, the Code on Wages, 2019 says, "Where an employee has been - (i) removed or dismissed from service; or (ii) retrenched or has resigned from service, or became unemployed due to closure of establishment, the wages payable to him shall be paid ...

Can a permanent employee be fired? ›

Given the structure of Indian labor laws, there is no standard process to terminate an employee in India. An employee may be terminated according to terms laid out in the individual labor contract signed between the employee and the employer. Equally, the terms may be subject to the country's labor laws.

What is the right of employee? ›

Workers' rights encompass a large array of human rights from the right to decent work and freedom of association to equal opportunity and protection against discrimination. Specific rights related to the workplace include health and safety in the workplace and the right to privacy at work, amongst many others.

What is illegal in Pakistan? ›

Pakistan has serious laws regarding drug offences, blasphemy, unlawful assembly and hom*osexuality. This is what travelers need to know. In addition to government sanctioned laws, there is also Islamic law to consider in Pakistan. Pakistan is a Muslim country that experiences severe sectarian violence.

What are labour laws? ›

labour law, the varied body of law applied to such matters as employment, remuneration, conditions of work, trade unions, and industrial relations. In its most comprehensive sense, the term includes social security and disability insurance as well.

How many days leave is an employee entitled to? ›

The Act clearly stipulates your rights as an employee when it comes to leave: The Basic Conditions of Employment Act provides for annual leave on completion of a year of continuous service with an employer. A worker is entitled to 21 consecutive days of paid annual leave.

What is the formula for calculating overtime? ›

According to the FLSA, the formula for calculating overtime pay is the nonexempt employee's regular rate of pay x 1.5 x overtime hours worked. This calculation may differ in states that have requirements, such as double time, which are more favorable to the employee.

How is overtime allowance calculated in central govt employees? ›

EXPLANATION 2: The overtime work in excess of one hour upto half an hour and thereafter every period upto half an hour be reckoned as half hour e.g. a person working for 2 hours and 10 minutes in excess of one hour beyond the prescribed hours of work will get overtime allowance for 2-1/2 hours.

What is minimum wage in Pakistan? ›

Pakistan's Minimum Wage is the lowest amount a worker can be legally paid for his work. Most countries have a nation-wide minimum wage that all workers must be paid. Pakistan's minimum wage is 15,000 Pakistani rupees per month ($150).

How do you calculate overtime hours per week? ›

Take the total number of hours worked in the week and subtract by the weekly overtime threshold. Then multiply by the ratio of hours worked for that position.

How do you calculate 1.5 overtime? ›

How overtime pay is calculated. Overtime pay is calculated as follows: Hourly basic rate of pay × 1.5 × number of hours worked overtime.

How do you calculate daily salary? ›

If the employee's total monthly salary is Rs 26,000, and if the employee joins on September 21, he or she will be paid Rs 10,000 for the 10 days in September. Since September has 26 base days (30 minus 4 Sundays), the per-day pay is calculated as Rs 26,000/26 = Rs 1,000.

Is overtime paid in arrears? ›

Where payment is made for overtime, the hours worked should be recorded by the employer and payment due should be calculated in accordance with the contract of employment at the agreed rate, i.e. plain time or premium rate. Payment is usually made a week or month in arrears.

How do I write a letter of overtime pay? ›

I have to request my manager to advice the HR to make me entitled for Overtime pay. Dear Sir, I am writing this letter to formally inform you of my Overtime Payment Concern. As per the Employment Contract I signed on November 19, 2017, I have 60 working hours per week and I am not entitled to receive any overtime pay.

What is the rule of compensatory leave? ›

It is an entitled leave that an employee can take on a working day as a compensation for working at employers request on a holiday or weekend. In simple terms, when an employee works overtime at the request of his employer, then later he/she can take time off or compensatory off from their work.

How do you write 40 hours in Excel? ›

Enter "=IF(A1<40,A1A2,40A2)" in cell A4. This calculates the pay amount for hours up to 40 hours. If you worked 48 hours, then this only calculates 40 hours.

How do I calculate hours and pay in Excel? ›

How to Track Hours Worked in Excel + How to Calculate Pay in ... - YouTube

How do I calculate hours worked in Excel? ›

Write each day of the week in its own row, then create a new cell label titled "TOTAL." The cells next to this one will display the total number of hours worked and pay received for the week. This is applied using the function "=SUM(E2:E8)" to calculate total hours.

What is the hourly rate in Pakistan? ›

According to Salary Explorer, the average hourly wage in Pakistan is 470 PKR (USD 2.85). In comparison, employees in the USA, India, and Ukraine earn USD 46, 2.43, and 4.83 per hour, respectively.

What is the minimum wage rate in Pakistan 2022? ›

The province of Punjab has revised the minimum wage from PKR 20,000 to PKR 25,000 rupees per month for unskilled work. Similarly, the minimum wages for 102 sectors/industries and various skill categories have also been raised, effective from 01 July 2022.

What is a basic salary? ›

A basic salary is the amount of money you earn before any add-ons or deductions. One may earn a certain amount and then get dividends from shares or overtime remuneration. Those at a junior level usually take a higher percentage of their basic salary compared to those at senior level.

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