Overtime calculation in Qatar according to Labour law

Last Updated on December 22, 2024

Overtime calculation in Qatar is explicitly defined under the Qatari labor law, aiming to ensure employees receive fair compensation for any additional hours worked beyond their regular schedule.

Section 35 of the Labor law specifies the rates of overtime for different situations, including work done during the day, night, rest days, and public holidays. Employers must adhere to these guidelines when requesting employees to work beyond regular hours.

Working Hours and Overtime in Qatar

Before calculating overtime in Qatar, it’s important to understand these key rules:

1. Regular Working Hours
   • Employees work a maximum of 8 hours daily and 48 hours weekly under normal conditions.
   • During Ramadan, regular working hours have been reduced to 6 hours daily to address the fasting employees.
2. Travel Time Exclusion
   • Employers do not include travel time between accommodation and the workplace in overtime calculations.
3. Weekly Day Off
   • Employers must give employees 1 day off after working 6 days a week, usually on Fridays. Employees on rotating shifts receive a different day off.
4. Overtime Eligibility
   • Employees earn overtime pay when they work more than 8 hours a day.
   • Employers compensate employees for working on an off day, but they should limit overtime on off days to 2 days per month.
5. Overtime Pay Rates
   • Employers pay an additional 25% for extra hours worked on normal days.
   • For overtime between 9 PM and 6 AM, employers pay an additional 50%, except for shift workers who do not qualify for this rate.
   • Employers pay an additional 50% for work done on off days, along with regular pay.
6. Maximum Daily Overtime
   • Employers should not require employees to work more than 10 hours a day (including overtime). They can exceed this limit only to prevent major losses, manage emergencies, or perform urgent repairs.
7. Public Holiday Work
   • When employees work on public holidays, employers must pay 50% extra on top of their regular pay and grant 1 additional day off.

How many Public holidays are in Qatar

Qatar has 7 public holiday days distributed as follows:

1. Eid Al-Fitr (After Ramadan): 3 days
2. Eid Al-Adha (Pilgrimage period): 3 days
3. Independence Day: 1 day

The worker is not entitled to overtime

The provision of Chapter 40 of the Qatar labor law does not apply the overtime for professionals who are

• Physician
• Engineer
• High administrative position
• and supervisory positions
•  Marine ships crews
• Port workers
•  other offshore workers

Overtime Calculation Formula in Qatar

Here’s the formula and an example to calculate overtime in Qatar:

1. Normal working day overtime:

   Basic Salary÷30÷8×OT hours×1.25=Overtime Amount

2. Off-day overtime:

   Basic Salary÷30÷8×OT hours×1.50=Overtime Amount

3. Nighttime overtime (9 PM to 6 AM):

Basic Salary÷30÷8×OT hours×1.50=Overtime Amount

4. Public Holiday Overtime:

Basic Salary÷30÷8×OT hours×1.50+1 day off=Overtime Amount

Example Calculation

• Basic Salary: QR 3000
• OT Hours Worked:
  • Normal day: 50 hours
  • Off-day: 12 hours
  • Public holiday: 5 hours

Step 1: Calculate hourly rates

1. Normal day OT rate: 3000÷30÷8×1.25=QR 15.62 hour
2. Off-day OT rate: 3000÷30÷8×1.50=QR 18.75 per hour
3. Public holiday OT rate: 3000÷30÷8×1.50=QR 18.75 per hour+1 day off

Step 2: Calculate total overtime pay

1. Normal day OT: 50×15.62=QR 781.0050 
2. Off-day OT: 12×18.75=QR 225.0012 
3. Public holiday OT: 5×18.75=QR 93.75 + 1 day off

Step 3: Add overtime earnings

781.00+225.00+93.75=QR 1099.85

Step 4: Calculate monthly net salary

3000+1099.85=QR 4099.85 

Conclusion:

The overtime formula in Qatar ensures employees receive fair compensation for extra hours worked. Employees and employers should understand these calculations to ensure compliance with Qatar’s labor laws.

Learn overtime calculation in the UAE