Overtime and Break Laws in Egypt (2026)
Labour Law No. 14 of 2025 (replaced Law No. 12 of 2003) · Reviewed 2026-10 · Private-sector employees
Overtime
Normal hours are 8 a day or 48 a week. Overtime pays at least 35% extra by day and 70% extra at night.
Breaks and lunch
Breaks totaling at least 1 hour a day, with no more than 5 consecutive hours of work. Unpaid.
Overtime in Egypt
- 1.35x pay for hours past 8 in a day.
- 1.35x pay for hours past 48 in a week.
- Night overtime premium is at least 70% of the normal hourly wage (Art. 121).
- Work on a rest day earns an extra day's wage plus a substitute day off the following week.
- Total presence at the workplace may not exceed 12 hours a day, and the span from start to end of work is normally capped at 10 hours (Arts. 119, 121).
- Overtime is allowed for urgent needs or exceptional circumstances, with notice to the administrative authority within 7 days.
- Employer's authorized representatives, preparatory or supplementary workers, and security or cleaning staff are excluded from the hours and break articles (Art. 123).
Averaging over a pay period: Not allowed
What two weeks of work come to
Worked out by the rule above (1.35x after 48h in a week, 1.35x after 8h in a day). Hours.
| Two weeks of | Regular | Overtime (1.35x) |
|---|---|---|
| 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) | 96 | 12 |
| 50 hours, then 30 hours (80h) | 70 | 10 |
Breaks and lunch in Egypt
- Meal break: 1 × 60 minutes, unpaid, for shifts of 5 hours or more.
| Shift | Rest breaks | Meal break |
|---|---|---|
| 4 hours | None | None |
| 6 hours | None | 1 × 60 min, unpaid |
| 8 hours | None | 1 × 60 min, unpaid |
| 10 hours | None | 1 × 60 min, unpaid |
| 12 hours | None | 1 × 60 min, unpaid |
- The Minister may designate continuous jobs without breaks, or arduous jobs where breaks count as work (Art. 118).
- Paid weekly rest of at least 24 continuous hours after at most 6 working days (Art. 120).
Pay by Egypt rules in Kloqk
Kloqk is a free time clock. In Settings, open Payroll, press Rules by country and pick Egypt: 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.
Start freeOfficial sources
Frequently asked questions
What is the overtime rule in Egypt?
Normal hours are 8 a day or 48 a week. Overtime pays at least 35% extra by day and 70% extra at night.
Can overtime be averaged over two weeks or a pay period in Egypt?
Not allowed
What breaks are required in Egypt?
Breaks totaling at least 1 hour a day, with no more than 5 consecutive hours of work. Unpaid.