Overtime and Break Laws in Ecuador (2026)
Código del Trabajo (Codificación 2005-017, last reform 9 Apr 2026) · Reviewed 2026-10 · Private-sector employees
Overtime
Overtime past 8 hours a day or 40 a week is paid at 1.5x up to midnight and 2x between midnight and 06:00. Saturday and Sunday work is paid at 2x.
Breaks and lunch
No mandatory paid or unpaid break in a continuous shift. A split shift by agreement must include a 30-minute to 2-hour rest after the first 4 hours.
Overtime in Ecuador
- 1.5x pay for hours past 8 in a day.
- 1.5x pay for hours past 40 in a week.
- Supplementary hours need a written agreement and labor-inspector authorization, and are capped at 4 a day and 12 a week.
- Supplementary hours from 24:00 to 06:00 carry a 100% surcharge. All Saturday or Sunday work carries 100%.
- Night work (19:00 to 06:00) pays at least 25% extra.
- Jornada prolongada: by written agreement, up to 10 hours a day within 40 a week across 5 days. Hours past 10 a day or 40 a week are overtime.
- Excluded: positions of trust and management, traveling sales agents with no fixed schedule, resident caretakers (with a written contract).
Averaging over a pay period: Not allowed beyond the 5-day jornada prolongada (max 10 hours a day, 40 a week)
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 Ecuador
The law does not set a break of a fixed length for adult employees here.
- Art. 57: the ordinary day can be split in two by agreement, with a rest of 30 minutes to 2 hours after the first 4 hours.
- Weekly rest of at least 48 consecutive hours, normally Saturday and Sunday.
Pay by Ecuador rules in Kloqk
Kloqk is a free time clock. In Settings, open Payroll, press Rules by country and pick Ecuador: 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 Ecuador?
Overtime past 8 hours a day or 40 a week is paid at 1.5x up to midnight and 2x between midnight and 06:00. Saturday and Sunday work is paid at 2x.
Can overtime be averaged over two weeks or a pay period in Ecuador?
Not allowed beyond the 5-day jornada prolongada (max 10 hours a day, 40 a week)
What breaks are required in Ecuador?
No mandatory paid or unpaid break in a continuous shift. A split shift by agreement must include a 30-minute to 2-hour rest after the first 4 hours.