Overtime and Break Laws in Nova Scotia (2026)
Labour Standards Code (RSNS 1989, c 246) and Minimum Wage Order (General) · Reviewed 2026-10 · Private-sector employees
Overtime
1.5x the regular wage after 48 hours in a week. No daily overtime.
Breaks and lunch
An unbroken 30-minute break so no one works more than 5 consecutive hours without one. The guide does not say it must be paid.
Overtime in Nova Scotia
- 1.5x pay for hours past 48 in a week.
- Pending: amendments tabled September 8, 2026 would cut the threshold to 44 hours a week from April 1, 2027. Not confirmed as passed.
- Managers, supervisors and some IT professionals get 1.5x the minimum wage after 48 hours under the Minimum Wage Order (General).
- Excluded: most farm employees, apprentices, real estate and car salespeople, fishing boat crews, logging and forestry, live-in care providers, and employees under a collective agreement.
- Construction and property maintenance: overtime after 110 hours over two weeks.
Averaging over a pay period: Allowed with a fixed cycle averaging agreement: a pre-set repeating cycle over several weeks with extended time off, overtime based on total hours in the cycle.
What two weeks of work come to
Worked out by the rule above (1.5x after 48h in a week). 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) | 96 | 4 |
| 6 days of 9 hours, two weeks (108h) | 96 | 12 |
| 50 hours, then 30 hours (80h) | 78 | 2 |
Breaks and lunch in Nova Scotia
- Meal break: 1 × 30 minutes, unpaid, for shifts of more than 5 hours.
- Meal break: 2 × 30 minutes, unpaid, for shifts of more than 10 hours.
| Shift | Rest breaks | Meal break |
|---|---|---|
| 4 hours | None | None |
| 6 hours | None | 1 × 30 min, unpaid |
| 8 hours | None | 1 × 30 min, unpaid |
| 10 hours | None | 1 × 30 min, unpaid |
| 12 hours | None | 2 × 30 min, unpaid |
- Example from the guide: a 12-hour shift gets a full 30-minute break plus another 30 minutes, which can be split into smaller breaks.
- At least 24 consecutive hours of rest in every 7 days.
Pay by Nova Scotia rules in Kloqk
Kloqk is a free time clock. In Settings, open Payroll, press Rules by country and pick Nova Scotia: 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 Nova Scotia?
1.5x the regular wage after 48 hours in a week. No daily overtime.
Can overtime be averaged over two weeks or a pay period in Nova Scotia?
Allowed with a fixed cycle averaging agreement: a pre-set repeating cycle over several weeks with extended time off, overtime based on total hours in the cycle.
What breaks are required in Nova Scotia?
An unbroken 30-minute break so no one works more than 5 consecutive hours without one. The guide does not say it must be paid.