Qatar Labour Law Overtime Salary Calculation: Complete Guide & Formula

Under Qatar Labour Law (Law No. 14 of 2004), understanding how your working hours and overtime pay are legally calculated is essential for every employee in the private sector. Whether you work in construction, hospitality, retail, or administration, Qatari law establishes strict limits on daily working hours and mandates minimum premium rates for extra hours worked.

Here is a complete breakdown of normal working hours, overtime calculation formulas, Friday pay rules, and legal exceptions in Qatar.

1. Maximum Standard Working Hours in Qatar

According to Article 73 of the Qatar Labour Law:

• Standard Work Week: Maximum of 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week (excluding meal and rest breaks).

• Ramadan Working Hours: During the holy month of Ramadan, standard working hours for Muslim employees are reduced to a maximum of 6 hours per day or 36 hours per week.

Rest Break Rule: Employees cannot be required to work continuously for more than 5 hours without a rest and meal break lasting between 1 and 3 hours. Rest break periods are not counted toward paid working hours.

2. Overtime Pay Calculation Formulas

When an employee is requested to work beyond standard daily hours (8 hours), the additional time is classified as Overtime. Under Article 74, overtime hours are capped at a maximum of 2 hours per day (total maximum 10 hours per work day), except in urgent emergency situations.

Overtime rates are calculated based on your Basic Salary (excluding housing, transport, or other allowances).

A. Day Shift Overtime Formula (Regular Work Days)

For extra hours worked between 6:00 AM and 9:00 PM on regular working days (Saturday through Thursday):

• Legal Rate: Basic Hourly Rate + Minimum 25% Premium (125% of Basic Hourly Rate)

Hourly Basic Rate = Monthly Basic Salary / 30 days} x 8 hours = Monthly Basic Salary / 240

Day Overtime Pay = Overtime Hours x (Hourly Basic Rate x  1.25)

B. Night Shift Overtime Formula (Regular Work Days)

For extra hours worked between 9:00 PM and 6:00 AM on regular working days:

• Legal Rate: Basic Hourly Rate + Minimum 50% Premium (150% of Basic Hourly Rate)

Night Overtime Pay = Overtime Hours x (Hourly Basic Rate x 1.50)

3. Friday & Official Public Holiday Overtime Rules

Under Article 75, Friday is the standard weekly rest day for all workers in Qatar (except shift workers on continuous rotation).

If an employee is required to work on a Friday:

• The employer must either grant a compensatory day off during the following week OR pay the employee their basic salary for the day PLUS an additional overtime premium of at least 150% of the basic hourly rate.

Friday Working Pay = Normal Day Pay + (Hours Worked xHourly Basic Rate x 1.50)

Worked Example Calculation

Scenario: An administrative officer has a Monthly Basic Salary of QAR 4,800. During one week, they worked 6 hours of regular day overtime (Saturday–Thursday) and 5 hours of overtime on a Friday.

1. Calculate Hourly Basic Rate:

   QAR 4,800 / 240  hours =  QAR 20 / hour

2. Calculate Regular Day Overtime (6 hours @ 125%):

   6 hours x  (QAR 20 x 1.25) = 6 x QAR 25 =  QAR  150

3. Calculate Friday Overtime (5 hours @ 150%):

   5 hours x (QAR 20 x 1.50) = 5  x QAR  30 =  QAR 150

4. Total Overtime Payout for the Week:

   QAR 150 +  QAR 150 =  QAR  300

Positions Exempt from Overtime Pay

Under Article 72, overtime regulations do not apply to senior management or executive positions:

• Key company executives, directors, and department heads who exercise administrative or supervisory authority over other personnel.

• Stevedores and workers performing marine operations outside port limits.