Working Hours Act: Who Qualifies and What You Get

The Working Hours Act sets the legal rules for how much time you can work and how much rest you must receive. It serves as a national safety net to ensure that work schedules remain manageable and safe for everyone in the workforce.

👤Who it's for

This act is designed to protect all employees. Regardless of your specific job role or industry, the protections regarding working time and rest apply to you.

🎁What you get

The law provides specific legal limits on your working hours to prevent overwork. Beyond just the total hours worked, the act guarantees that you are entitled to mandatory breaks during your shift and sufficient rest periods between your work sessions. These rules are in place to ensure that your working schedule allows for necessary downtime.

💰What it costs you

There is no cost to you to be protected by this act. You do not need to pay a fee to access these legal rights, and there is no administrative cost to having these protections applied to your employment.

⚠️The catch to know

While the act sets out standard rules for everyone, it is not a rigid one-size-fits-all system in every single circumstance. Employers are permitted to deviate from these standard working hours if there is a specific collective agreement (CAO) in place for your sector. A collective agreement is a set of rules negotiated between employers and employee organizations that may adjust the standard legal limits to suit specific industry needs.

📝How to apply

1. Review your employment contract to understand your agreed-upon working hours and duties.
2. Investigate whether your specific industry or workplace is covered by a collective agreement (CAO), as this may change your specific rights.
3. Compare your actual weekly schedule and your daily breaks against the legal requirements for rest and breaks.
4. If you believe your rights are being violated, you should contact a legal advisor or the official government inspectorate responsible for oversight.