Romania’s labor laws are designed to ensure a balance between employee well-being and business needs. Whether you're a local worker or considering a job in Romania, understanding the structure of working hours, overtime, and rest periods is essential. Here's an updated guide to Romania’s working hours, overtime, and rest regulations under the country's Labor Code for 2024.

Standard Working Hours in Romania

The standard workweek in Romania consists of 40 hours typically spread across 5 days, with 8-hour working days. However, there is flexibility in how these hours are distributed within the week. The legal maximum working hours are set at 48 hours per week, but with conditions that allow for some flexibility when averaged over a longer period. In some industries, shift work may mean longer daily working hours, but the weekly average must remain within legal limits.

Employees under 18 years old have reduced working hours, limited to 30 hours per week.

Overtime and Overtime Pay in Romania

In Romania, overtime refers to work performed outside the standard working hours, and employees are compensated accordingly. Overtime work must be voluntary, except in certain urgent situations, such as force majeure (e.g., emergencies or accidents).

Overtime Limits:

Employees can work up to 8 hours of overtime per week. However, the total working hours, including overtime, cannot exceed an average of 48 hours per week over a 4-month period.

Compensation for Overtime:

Employees can be compensated for overtime in one of two ways:

Employees working on public holidays or rest days are entitled to either additional time off within 30 days or 100% pay for the hours worked.

Rest Periods and Breaks for Employees

Romania's labor law also emphasizes the importance of rest periods for employees, ensuring they have adequate time to recover between workdays.

Daily Rest Periods:

Employees working more than 6 hours are entitled to a meal break (usually lasting 30 minutes or more). Additionally, employees under 18 must be given a minimum 30-minute break if their daily working time exceeds 4.5 hours.

Rest Between Workdays:

Employees must have at least 12 consecutive hours of rest between two working days. For shift workers, this rest period can be reduced to 8 hours.

Weekly Rest Periods:

Employees are entitled to a minimum 48 consecutive hours of rest each week, typically on weekends. In exceptional cases where weekend rest isn't feasible, alternative rest days must be offered, and employees must be compensated accordingly.

Night Work Regulations

Employees who work at least 3 hours between 10 PM and 6 AM or 30% of their monthly working hours during nighttime are classified as night workers. There are specific regulations for night work:

Night Work Limits:

The working hours for night workers should not exceed an average of 8 hours per day, calculated over a reference period of up to 3 months.

Night Work Compensation:

Night workers are entitled to one of the following benefits:

Special Considerations for Minors and Vulnerable Workers

Romanian labor law protects young workers under 18 years old with specific rules. They are prohibited from working night shifts and are limited to 30 hours of work per week. Additionally, workers in hazardous conditions, including those with disabilities, may be entitled to extra leave and additional protections.