Overtime and Break Laws in Belgium (2026)
Labour Act of 16 March 1971 (Loi sur le travail / Arbeidswet) · Reviewed 2026-10 · Private-sector employees
Overtime
50% premium for hours past 9 a day or 40 a week (or lower limits set by collective agreement). Overtime on Sundays and public holidays is paid at 100%.
Breaks and lunch
A break is required once the working day exceeds 6 hours. With no collective agreement, it is at least 15 minutes, given no later than the 6-hour mark.
Overtime in Belgium
- 1.5x pay for hours past 9 in a day.
- 1.5x pay for hours past 40 in a week.
- Normal limits are 8 hours a day and 40 a week, and since 2003 every company must run an average 38-hour week; many sector agreements set lower limits, and the premium then starts past those.
- Overtime on a Sunday, public holiday or replacement holiday gets a 100% premium instead of 50%. The premium is calculated on ordinary pay.
- Most authorised overtime also requires compensatory rest so the normal weekly limit is kept on average; a collective agreement can swap the premium for extra paid rest (half an hour per 50% hour, one hour per 100% hour).
- Voluntary overtime: up to 360 hours a year under the general scheme (450 in hospitality with a registered cash system), with no compensatory rest; only 120 of those hours carry the premium.
- Average weekly hours including overtime may not exceed 48 over a 4-month reference period (Working Time Directive).
Averaging over a pay period: Allowed: a 38-hour average over a reference period (e.g. 40 effective hours plus 12 rest days a year), and flexible schedules under collective agreements.
What two weeks of work come to
Worked out by the rule above (1.5x after 40h in a week, 1.5x after 9h in a day). Hours.
| Two weeks of | Regular | Overtime (1.5x) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 days of 8 hours, two weeks (80h) | 80 | 0 |
| 5 days of 10 hours, two weeks (100h) | 80 | 20 |
| 6 days of 9 hours, two weeks (108h) | 80 | 28 |
| 50 hours, then 30 hours (80h) | 70 | 10 |
Breaks and lunch in Belgium
- Rest break: 1 × 15 minutes, unpaid, for shifts of 6 hours or more.
| Shift | Rest breaks | Meal break |
|---|---|---|
| 4 hours | None | None |
| 6 hours | 1 × 15 min, unpaid | None |
| 8 hours | 1 × 15 min, unpaid | None |
| 10 hours | 1 × 15 min, unpaid | None |
| 12 hours | 1 × 15 min, unpaid | None |
- Break length and conditions are normally set by sector or company collective agreement, which overrides the 15-minute default.
- Breaks are not working time; pay depends on the contract or agreement.
- Daily rest of at least 11 consecutive hours between work days, combined with the 24-hour Sunday rest into 35 consecutive hours a week.
- Stricter rules apply to workers under 18.
Pay by Belgium rules in Kloqk
Kloqk is a free time clock. In Settings, open Payroll, press Rules by country and pick Belgium: the overtime and break rules above fill in, and every timesheet, report and payroll export follows them. Change any number to match your own contract.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the overtime rule in Belgium?
50% premium for hours past 9 a day or 40 a week (or lower limits set by collective agreement). Overtime on Sundays and public holidays is paid at 100%.
Can overtime be averaged over two weeks or a pay period in Belgium?
Allowed: a 38-hour average over a reference period (e.g. 40 effective hours plus 12 rest days a year), and flexible schedules under collective agreements.
What breaks are required in Belgium?
A break is required once the working day exceeds 6 hours. With no collective agreement, it is at least 15 minutes, given no later than the 6-hour mark.