Decent Working Hours

The Decent Working Hours indicator measures whether workers' health and well-being are preserved while ensuring their productivity and motivation. It assesses the relevant legislation on working hours, overtime, and paid rest days—weekly rest, public holidays, and annual leave.

2.1 General Weekly Working Hours

Does the law stipulate general weekly working hours as 48 hours or lower?

International Regulatory Standard

Hours of Work (Industry) Convention, 1919 (No. 1)
Hours of Work (Commerce and Offices) Convention, 1930 (No. 30)
Forty-Hour Week Convention, 1935 (No. 47)

Articles 2 and 3 of Convention No.1 (C001) and Convention No.30 (C030), respectively, state that the working hours of employed persons should not exceed eight in the day and forty-eight in the week. Article 1 (C047) approves a forty-hour work week, which is applied in a way that does not reduce the living standard of workers due to reduced remuneration.

C001 states the following exceptions:

the provision on the forty-eight-hour threshold does not apply to supervisory, management, and confidential positions,
or whereby law, custom or agreement between employers’ and workers’ organisations or employers’ and workers’ representatives vary the daily hours limit (but not more than nine hours)
or where shift workers are employed in excess of eight hours in a day and forty-eight hours in a week if the average hours over three weeks do not exceed eight per day and forty-eight per week.

Scoring Methodology

Whether labour legislation limits general working hours to 48 hours per week:

1: General working hours do not exceed 48 hours per week.

0: No restriction on weekly working hours is found in law or if general working hours are more than 48 hours per week.

DWH-2-1

2.2 Maximum Weekly Working Hours

Does the law restrict maximum working hours, including overtime, to 56 hours per week?

International Regulatory Standard

Hours of Work (Industry) Convention, 1919 (No. 1)
Hours of Work (Commerce and Offices) Convention, 1930 (No. 30)
Reduction of Hours of Work Recommendation, 1962 (No. 116)

The regulatory standard on this component, maximum weekly working hours, is grounded in Para 17 of the ILO’s Reduction of Hours of Work Recommendation, 1962 (No. 116), Article 6(2) of ILO’s Hours of Work (Industry) Convention, 1919 (No. 1) and Article 7(3) of the ILO’s Hours of Work (Commerce and Offices) Convention, 1930 (No. 30).

Recommendation No. 116 mentions that the competent authority of every country should determine limits to the total number of overtime hours worked during a specified period, except for cases of force majeure. Convention No. 1 and Convention No. 30 make it necessary for regulations (only after consultation with the organisations of employers and workers concerned) to fix the maximum of additional hours in each instance, aside from temporary exceptions, and the overtime pay rate to be not less than one and one-quarter times (125%) the regular rate.

Scoring Methodology

Whether labour legislation limits maximum working hours to 56 hours per week:

1: Total working hours, including overtime, do not exceed 56 hours per week.

0: Total working hours (including overtime) are more than 56 hours per week, or no relevant provision is found in the legislation.

DWH-2-2

2.3 Weekly Rest Hours

Does the law require a paid weekly rest of at least 24 consecutive hours?

International Regulatory Standard

Weekly Rest (Industry) Convention, 1921 (No. 14)
Weekly Rest (Commerce and Offices) Convention, 1957 (No. 106)

Article 2 of the Weekly Rest (Industry) Convention, 1921 (No. 14) and Article 6 of the Weekly Rest (Commerce and Offices) Convention, 1957 (No. 106) stipulate that every seven days, a weekly rest (comprising at least 24 consecutive hours) be granted simultaneously to all workers in every establishment. The weekly rest should be fixed to coincide with the days already established by the traditions or customs of the country or region.

Scoring Methodology

Whether the labour legislation requires a weekly rest of at least 24 consecutive hours:

1: Workers have the right to a weekly rest for a minimum of 24 consecutive hours.

0: Labour legislation does not require a weekly rest period comprising 24 consecutive hours.

DWH-2-3

2.4 Paid Public Holidays

Does the law require paid public holidays?

International Regulatory Standard

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 1966
Working Conditions (Hotels and Restaurants) Convention, 1991 (No. 172)
Part-Time Work Convention, 1994 (No. 175)

It is stated in Article 7(d) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 1966 that it is the right of everyone to enjoy just and favourable conditions of work that entail rest, leisure and remuneration for public holidays.

Article 5 of the ILO’s Working Conditions (Hotels and Restaurants) Convention, 1991 (No. 172) requires that “if workers are required to work on public holidays, they shall be appropriately compensated in time or remuneration, as determined by collective bargaining or in accordance with national law or practice”.

Article 7 of the ILO’s Part-Time Work Convention, 1994 (No. 175) also requires equal treatment of part-time workers, similar to the comparable full-time workers, concerning paid public holidays.

Scoring Methodology

Whether there are paid public holidays:

1: Legislation regulates paid public holidays, and there is a list of public and official holidays to follow.

0: Labour legislation does not require employers to grant a fully paid day off on public holidays.

DWH-2-4

2.5 Annual Leave

Does the law require at least three working weeks of paid annual leave?

International Regulatory Standard

Holidays with Pay Convention (Revised), 1970 (No. 132)

Article 3 of the ILO’s Holidays with Pay Convention (Revised), 1970 (No. 132) requires that every person to whom this Convention applies shall be entitled to an annual paid holiday (leave) of a specified minimum length. Every Member who ratifies this Convention must specify the length of the holiday, with the annual holiday not being less than three working weeks for one year of service. Public and customary holidays, whether or not they fall during the annual holiday, shall not be counted as part of the minimum annual holiday.

Scoring Methodology

Whether there is a provision for paid annual leave:

1: The labour legislation requires employers to grant workers at least three working weeks of paid annual leave after completing one year of service.

0: The length of paid annual leave is less than three working weeks. A score of 0 is also assigned when the qualifying period for annual leave is more than a year.

DWH-2-5

Decent Working Hours - comparative tables

General Weekly Working Hours

Region	< 40 Hours	40 hours	41-47 hours	48 hours	≥ 49 hours	Covered Countries
Africa	Chad	Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Côte D'Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo	Algeria, Angola, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Morocco, Namibia, South Africa, United Republic of Tanzania, Zimbabwe	Botswana, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Liberia, Libya, Malawi, Mozambique, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia	Kenya	45
Americas		Canada, Chile, Ecuador, United States of America, Venezuela	Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, El Salvador, Honduras	Argentina, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru		19
Asia		Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, China, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Oman, Republic of Korea, Syria, Taiwan , Tajikistan, Uzbekistan	Iran, Israel, Singapore, Sri Lanka	Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Viet Nam, Yemen		38
Europe	Belgium, Cyprus, France, Netherlands	Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine	Türkiye	Ireland, United Kingdom		40
Oceania	Australia	New Zealand		Papua New Guinea		3
Total Countries	6	71	22	45	1	145

Maximum Weekly Working Hours

Region	< 48 hours	48 Hours	49 - 56 Hours	≥ 57 hours	No provision	Covered Countries
Africa	Benin, Côte D'Ivoire, Morocco, Senegal	Burundi, Cabo Verde, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, Sierra Leone	Angola, Chad, Lesotho, Liberia, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Uganda, Zimbabwe	Algeria, Botswana, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Libya, Mali, South Sudan, Sudan, Togo, Tunisia, United Republic of Tanzania	Burkina Faso, Eswatini, Gambia, Ghana, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Zambia	45
Americas	Brazil, Cuba	Canada	Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Haiti, Venezuela	Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay	El Salvador, Peru, United Sates of America	19
Asia	Israel, Kazakhstan	China, Japan	Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, India, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Mongolia, Republic of Korea, Syria, Taiwan , Tajikistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Viet Nam	Afghanistan, Bahrain, Cambodia, Indonesia, Iran, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Yemen	Philippines	38
Europe	Bulgaria, Czechia, Finland, France, Russian Federation, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine	Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, United Kingdom	Belarus, Belgium, Türkiye		Georgia	40
Oceania				Papua New Guinea	Australia, New Zealand	3
Total Countries	17	35	31	44	18	145

Paid Weekly Rest Hours

Region	24 Hours	25 - 36 Hours	≥ 37 hours	Covered Countries
Africa	Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Côte D'Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Sudan, Sudan, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe	Eswatini, Liberia, Namibia, South Africa	Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Sierra Leone	45
Americas	Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, United States of America, Venezuela	Argentina	Ecuador	19
Asia	Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Viet Nam, Yemen	Israel, Lebanon, Sri Lanka	Azerbaijan, Mongolia, Oman, Taiwan	38
Europe	Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Georgia, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Montenegro, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Türkiye, United Kingdom	Albania, Austria, Czechia, Finland, Greece, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden	Belarus, Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Ukraine	40
Oceania	Australia, Papua New Guinea		New Zealand	3
Total Countries	105	19	21	145

Paid Public Holidays

Region	< 10 Days	10 Days	11 - 15 Days	≥ 16 days	No Provision	Covered Countries
Africa	Botswana, Congo, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Tunisia	Cameroon, Chad, Lesotho	Algeria, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, Zambia	Côte D'Ivoire, United Republic of Tanzania, Zimbabwe		45
Americas	Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Haiti, Mexico, Nicaragua		Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela	Colombia	United Sates of America	19
Asia	India, Iran, Israel, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Philippines, Qatar, Uzbekistan	Viet Nam	Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Syria, Taiwan , Tajikistan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Yemen	Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Myanmar, Sri Lanka	Japan	38
Europe	Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece	Belgium, Hungary, Ireland	Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Türkiye, Ukraine	Georgia, Slovakia	Netherlands, United Kingdom	40
Oceania	Papua New Guinea		Asutralia, New Zealand			3
Total Countries	23	7	98	13	4	145

Annual Leave

Region	< 3 working weeks	3 working weeks	> 3 working weeks	No Provision	Covered Countries
Africa	Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Lesotho, Liberia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tunisia	Eswatini, Ghana, Malawi, Mauritania, Rwanda	Algeria, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Côte D'Ivoire, Egypt, Gabon, Guinea, Kenya, Libya, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Senegal, South Sudan, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe	Sierra Leone	45
Americas	Argentina, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Paraguay	Colombia, Venezuela	Brazil, Cuba, Nicaragua, Peru	United Sates of America	19
Asia	China, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan , Thailand, Viet Nam	Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Mongolia, Nepal	Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tajikistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Yemen		38
Europe	North Macedonia, Türkiye		Albania, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, United Kingdom		40
Oceania	Papua New Guinea		Australia, New Zealand		3
Total Countries	41	11	91	2	145

Decent Working Hours - Snapshot

Decent-Working-Hours-Snapshot