Kuwait Publishes What Workers Are Entitled to Earn for Extra Hours

Kuwait Publishes What Workers Are Entitled to Earn for Extra Hours

  • Kuwait law sets out three distinct overtime pay rates depending on when workers put in extra hours
  • Workers who give up their weekend to work are entitled to a higher rate than those who work extra hours on regular days
  • Public holiday workers in Kuwait receive the most generous compensation under the country's overtime rules

Kuwait's labour regulations guarantee workers additional pay for every hour worked beyond their standard schedule, with the rate of compensation varying based on when the extra hours are carried out.

Under the rules, workers who clock extra hours during a regular working day are entitled to their basic hourly wage plus an additional 25% on top of it.

Kuwait labour laws provide 50% overtime pay for employees who work on their designated weekend or rest day.
Kuwait overtime pay rules ensure workers receive 25% extra wages for additional hours worked on regular working days. Photo credit: Anadolu/Getty
Source: Getty Images

This means an employee is not simply paid their normal rate for the extra time, but receives a premium above it.

Overtime on weekends

The rate rises for workers asked to come in on their designated day off. Anyone who works during a weekend is entitled to 50% above their regular hourly pay, in addition to their basic rate.

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This higher premium reflects the expectation that rest days carry added value and that employees should be compensated accordingly for giving them up.

Working on public holidays

Workers required to work on public holidays receive the most generous terms under Kuwait's overtime framework. In such cases, employees are entitled to double their regular pay for the hours worked, and they also receive an additional day off to replace the holiday they missed.

The three-tier structure means compensation scales with the level of disruption to a worker's personal time, offering the least premium for extra hours on an ordinary day and the highest reward for work carried out on public holidays.

Workers in Kuwait should familiarise themselves with these entitlements to ensure they are receiving the correct pay for any additional hours their employer requests.

Kuwait sets minimum wage for workers

Legit.ng earlier reported that Kuwait has set a minimum wage of KD75 per month for workers in the country, with clear rules governing how and when employers must pay salaries under the national Labour Law.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Basit Jamiu avatar

Basit Jamiu (Current Affairs and Politics Editor) Basit Jamiu is an AFP-certified journalist. He is a current affairs and politics editor at Legit.ng. He holds a bachelor's degree from Nasarawa State University (2023). Basit previously worked as a staff writer at Ikeja Bird (2022), Associate Editor at Prime Progress (2022). He is a 2025 CRA Grantee, 2024 Open Climate Fellow (West Africa), 2023 MTN Media Fellow. Email: basitjamiu1st@gmail.com and basit.jamiu@corp.legit.ng.