In Croatia, the standard working hours are regulated to ensure a predictable workweek for employees. The standard workweek is capped at 40 hours, which typically translates to an 8-hour workday spread across five days.

There are exceptions to this rule. Collective agreements, negotiated between employers and employee unions, can establish different working hours, as long as they comply with the maximum limits set by law. Part-time work arrangements also have their own set of regulations, but their total working hours cannot exceed the standard 40-hour workweek for a full-time employee.

The primary legal reference for standard working hours in Croatia is Article 66 of the Act on Labour Relations. These regulations allow for some flexibility through established mechanisms like working time redistribution (averaging working hours over a set period). However, these deviations from the standard workweek must comply with additional regulations to ensure employee rights are protected.

In Croatia, labor law outlines clear rules and compensation requirements for overtime work, ensuring employees are fairly rewarded for exceeding standard working hours.

The threshold for overtime is any work exceeding the standard 40-hour workweek. Croatian law imposes a weekly limit on overtime work, capped at 10 hours per week. This translates to a maximum of 2 additional hours per day spread across the workweek. An annual limit of 180 hours of overtime work per employee is also in place to prevent excessive workload.

Collective agreements between employers and employee unions can establish a higher annual overtime limit, up to a maximum of 250 hours per year. However, this increased limit requires clear justification within the agreement.

The Act on Labour Relations mandates a minimum pay rate for overtime work. Overtime work must be compensated at a rate of at least 150% of the employee's regular wage. Collective agreements can establish a different overtime pay rate, but it cannot be lower than the minimum legal requirement of 150%.

Employers are obligated to obtain written consent from employees before requiring them to work overtime. Certain exceptions exist for emergencies or unforeseen circumstances that threaten production or safety. Employees have the right to refuse overtime work unless there are exceptional circumstances defined by law.

Croatian labor law recognizes the importance of rest periods and breaks throughout the workday to safeguard worker well-being and optimize productivity. Here's a breakdown of these entitlements:

Daily Rest Period

Croatian law mandates a minimum daily rest period of 30 minutes for employees working a continuous workday exceeding 6 hours. This break is considered working time and must be factored into the employee's total working hours.

Employer Flexibility

The legislation allows some flexibility in scheduling this break. The employer and employee can agree on the specific timing within the workday, considering the nature of the work.

Additional Breaks

For shorter workdays, employees are entitled to a shorter rest period of 15 minutes, though this is not explicitly mandated by law but established through court rulings.

Special Considerations

Workers performing work periods that include at least 3 hours are entitled to an additional 15-minute break on top of the regular rest period.

In Croatia, labor laws recognize the demanding nature of night and weekend work and have implemented specific regulations to protect worker well-being and ensure fair treatment.

Night shifts, defined as work schedules that include at least 3 hours between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM, have specific regulations. To account for the challenging nature of night work, the total daily working hours for night shift employees cannot exceed an average of 8 hours in any 4-month period. This ensures night shift workers receive additional rest time compared to day shift workers. Night shift workers are also entitled to an additional 15-minute rest period. For night shift workers exposed to special hazards or heavy physical or mental strain, even stricter limitations on working hours may apply.

Weekend work generally refers to work performed on Sundays and public holidays. Weekend work requires the employee's prior consent. Employers cannot force employees to work on their designated rest day unless there are exceptional circumstances, such as emergencies or unforeseen situations that threaten production or safety. Weekend work triggers mandatory overtime pay regulations. Employees working on weekends are entitled to a premium rate, typically set at 150% of their regular hourly wage. If weekend work is unavoidable, the employer must provide the employee with a substitute rest day within two weeks of the weekend work performed.

Collective agreements between employers and employee unions can establish different regulations for substitute rest days, as long as they comply with minimum legal requirements. These regulations ensure that weekend work is undertaken voluntarily, fairly compensated, and balanced with sufficient rest periods.