Overtime and Break Laws in Greece (2026)
Law 4808/2021 (art. 58 on overwork and overtime), Law 5239/2025, P.D. 88/1999 · Reviewed 2026-10 · Private-sector employees
Overtime
On a 5-day week, hours 41 to 45 are overwork paid at +20%, and hours past 45 are overtime paid at +40%.
Breaks and lunch
When the working day is over 4 hours, a break of at least 15 and at most 30 minutes must be given. It is not working time.
Overtime in Greece
- 1.2x pay for hours past 40 in a week.
- 1.4x pay for hours past 45 in a week.
- On a 6-day week, overwork runs from the 41st to the 48th hour (+20%) and overtime starts after 48 hours (+40%).
- Legal overtime is capped at 150 hours a year and 4 hours a day. Overtime above the yearly cap needs Ministry permission and pays +60%.
- Overtime that breaks the rules (not declared on ERGANI in advance, or over the caps) is illegal and owed at the hourly rate +120%.
- Sunday and public holiday work pays an extra 75% of 1/25 of the monthly salary or daily wage.
- Average weekly hours, including overwork and overtime, may not exceed 48 over any period of up to 4 months.
- Law 5239/2025 extends the 13-hour working day, already possible with two employers, to a single employer, within all work and rest limits. It also allows overtime in rotating work at the 40% premium.
Averaging over a pay period: Allowed through working-time arrangement schemes (Law 1892/1990 art. 41 as amended by Law 5239/2025): reference period up to 12 months, max 10 hours a day on a 5-day week.
What two weeks of work come to
Worked out by the rule above (1.2x after 40h in a week, 1.4x after 45h in a week). Hours.
| Two weeks of | Regular | Overtime (1.2x) | At 1.4x |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 days of 8 hours, two weeks (80h) | 80 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 days of 10 hours, two weeks (100h) | 80 | 10 | 10 |
| 6 days of 9 hours, two weeks (108h) | 80 | 10 | 18 |
| 50 hours, then 30 hours (80h) | 70 | 5 | 5 |
Breaks and lunch in Greece
- Rest break: 1 × 15 minutes, unpaid, for shifts of 4 hours or more.
| Shift | Rest breaks | Meal break |
|---|---|---|
| 4 hours | 1 × 15 min, unpaid | 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 |
- Daily rest of at least 11 consecutive hours in every 24-hour period, shift work included.
- Sunday work over 5 hours earns a 24-hour rest on another day that week.
Pay by Greece rules in Kloqk
Kloqk is a free time clock. In Settings, open Payroll, press Rules by country and pick Greece: 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 Greece?
On a 5-day week, hours 41 to 45 are overwork paid at +20%, and hours past 45 are overtime paid at +40%.
Can overtime be averaged over two weeks or a pay period in Greece?
Allowed through working-time arrangement schemes (Law 1892/1990 art. 41 as amended by Law 5239/2025): reference period up to 12 months, max 10 hours a day on a 5-day week.
What breaks are required in Greece?
When the working day is over 4 hours, a break of at least 15 and at most 30 minutes must be given. It is not working time.