Overtime and Break Laws in Uruguay (2026)
Ley 15.996 (horas extras); Ley 5.350 (jornada); Decreto 55/000 (descansos intermedios) · Reviewed 2026-10 · Private-sector employees
Overtime
Hours past the daily limit (8) are paid at 2x on working days and 2.5x on rest days and holidays.
Breaks and lunch
Continuous shift: a 30-minute paid break that counts as work time. Split shift: an unpaid 2 to 2.5 hour break.
Overtime in Uruguay
- 2x pay for hours past 8 in a day.
- Overtime is defined against the daily limit. Weekly maximum is 48 hours in industry and 44 in commerce (and for office staff in industry).
- Overtime on a rest day or holiday carries a 150% surcharge (2.5x).
- Max 8 overtime hours a week, with the worker's consent. Fractions under 30 minutes count as half an hour, over 30 as an hour.
- Excluded from the hours limits (Decreto 611/80): staff above section head, university professionals working as such, travelling sales and field roles.
- More favorable rates in laws, wage-board awards (laudos) or collective agreements prevail.
Averaging over a pay period: Not allowed
What two weeks of work come to
Worked out by the rule above (2x after 8h in a day). Hours.
| Two weeks of | Regular | Overtime (2x) |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Uruguay
- Meal break: 1 × 30 minutes, paid, for shifts of 4 hours or more.
| Shift | Rest breaks | Meal break |
|---|---|---|
| 4 hours | None | 1 × 30 min, paid |
| 6 hours | None | 1 × 30 min, paid |
| 8 hours | None | 1 × 30 min, paid |
| 10 hours | None | 1 × 30 min, paid |
| 12 hours | None | 1 × 30 min, paid |
- Commerce: break after the first 4 hours; industry: no more than 5 consecutive hours. The rule above uses the commerce threshold.
- Split (discontinuous) shift: unpaid break of 2 hours in industry and 2.5 in commerce, reducible to 1 hour by written agreement.
- Weekly rest in commerce: 36 consecutive hours.
Pay by Uruguay rules in Kloqk
Kloqk is a free time clock. In Settings, open Payroll, press Rules by country and pick Uruguay: 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 Uruguay?
Hours past the daily limit (8) are paid at 2x on working days and 2.5x on rest days and holidays.
Can overtime be averaged over two weeks or a pay period in Uruguay?
Not allowed
What breaks are required in Uruguay?
Continuous shift: a 30-minute paid break that counts as work time. Split shift: an unpaid 2 to 2.5 hour break.