Overtime and Break Laws in Nunavut (2026)
Labour Standards Act (RSNWT (Nu) 1988, c L-1) · Reviewed 2026-10 · Private-sector employees
Overtime
1.5x the regular rate for hours over 8 in a day or 40 in a week.
Breaks and lunch
A 30-minute meal break after 5 consecutive hours of work, during which the employee may not work.
Overtime in Nunavut
- 1.5x pay for hours past 8 in a day.
- 1.5x pay for hours past 40 in a week.
- Maximum 10 hours a day and 60 a week unless the Labour Standards Officer grants an Extended Hours Permit.
- Employees in a managerial capacity are excluded from hours of work and overtime rules.
- Minimum standards cannot be waived by agreement.
- At least one day of rest each week, Sunday where practical.
Averaging over a pay period: Allowed only with an Overtime Averaging Permit from the Labour Standards Officer, averaging hours over one or more weeks.
What two weeks of work come to
Worked out by the rule above (1.5x after 40h in a week, 1.5x after 8h 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 Nunavut
- Meal break: 1 × 30 minutes, unpaid, for shifts of 5 hours or more.
| 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 | 1 × 30 min, unpaid |
- Employers can apply for a waiver or exemption if a meal break is impractical.
- The page does not say whether the break is paid; it is modeled as unpaid because no work is done during it.
Pay by Nunavut rules in Kloqk
Kloqk is a free time clock. In Settings, open Payroll, press Rules by country and pick Nunavut: 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 Nunavut?
1.5x the regular rate for hours over 8 in a day or 40 in a week.
Can overtime be averaged over two weeks or a pay period in Nunavut?
Allowed only with an Overtime Averaging Permit from the Labour Standards Officer, averaging hours over one or more weeks.
What breaks are required in Nunavut?
A 30-minute meal break after 5 consecutive hours of work, during which the employee may not work.