Labor Ministry gives permission for long working hours

The Ministry of Labor recently gave the green light to local companies to let their employees work long hours because of the Christmas rush. Several companies have permission to let their employees work long hours from December 17 until December 29 with the exception of December 23, 24, 25 and 26. A press release from the ministry indicates that during this period the employees of stores, cafés and restaurants may work 11 hours maximum per day. The employees of bakeries may even work 13 hours per day. No employer is allowed to let his employee work more than 64 hours per week. If the employer prefers shift work instead of overtime, he must request permission for this from the head of the Labor Inspection Department. When an employer lets his employees work in shifts, he may not let them work more than eight and a half hours per day or 48 hours per week. The ministry made it clear that its General Overtime Permit does not give employers the right to violate the rules regarding overtime pay. The employer must pay each employee at least one and a half the fixed wage and on Sunday double the fixed wage. The employer must pay the employee overtime whenever the employee works on a Sunday. The employee must also be given another day off in the same week, if he or she has to work on Sundays.

The ministry is familiar with the need for companies to have long working hours during this period of the year. That is the reason why the ministry grants permission for long working hours with its publication of the General Overtime Permit. Labor Inspection will make sure that employers do not break the ruled on overtime and that they allow their employees to go on a break for at least half an hour when they have worked for 5 hours straight.