Belarus

The Belarusian Labor Code establishes a framework for working hours in the country. Here's a breakdown of the key regulations:

The standard workweek in Belarus is 40 hours, typically spread over five days. The maximum daily working hours are set at eight hours. On days preceding public holidays or non-working days, the workday can be shortened to seven hours. Specific industries or job roles might have different working hour regulations outlined in sectoral agreements or collective bargaining agreements. For a comprehensive understanding of working hours in Belarus, it's advisable to consult the latest version of the Labor Code of the Republic of Belarus or seek guidance from a legal professional specializing in Belarusian labor law.

In Belarus, overtime work is only permissible under certain circumstances and with the employee's consent. Legitimate reasons for overtime work include completing urgent tasks that cannot be postponed, dealing with unforeseen production issues, and carrying out emergency repairs or preventative maintenance.

There are limitations on overtime work. The maximum overtime work allowed per week is 10 hours, and the total overtime work for an entire year cannot exceed 180 hours. Including overtime, a workday cannot be extended beyond 12 hours.

Employers cannot force employees to work overtime. Written consent from the employee is mandatory before assigning overtime work. The employer must notify the employee of the expected duration and reason for overtime in advance.

There are two options for compensating employees for overtime work:

• Increased Pay: Employers must pay employees double their regular wage rate for every hour of overtime work.
• Time Off in Lieu: Instead of monetary compensation, employees can choose to receive additional time off equal to the amount of overtime worked, with a minimum of a day off for every two hours of overtime.

For a thorough understanding of overtime work regulations and your rights as an employee in Belarus, it's recommended to consult the latest version of the Labor Code of the Republic of Belarus or seek advice from a legal professional specializing in Belarusian labor law.

Belarusian labor law prioritizes worker well-being by mandating designated rest periods and breaks throughout the workday.

Daily Lunch Break

All employees are entitled to a one-hour break during the workday for rest and meal consumption. The exact timing of the break can be established by the employer's internal regulations, but it should not significantly disrupt the work process.

Exceptions for Shorter Breaks

With the employee's written consent, the break duration can be shortened to 30 minutes if the total working day is less than eight hours.

Additional Breaks Throughout the Day

The Labor Code doesn't mandate additional breaks within the workday beyond the lunch break. However, some employers might offer short smoking breaks or coffee breaks as a matter of company policy. These breaks are typically unpaid and subject to the employer's specific guidelines.

For a comprehensive understanding of rest periods and breaks in Belarus, it's advisable to consult the latest version of the Labor Code of the Republic of Belarus or seek guidance from a legal professional specializing in Belarusian labor law.

Night work in Belarus is defined as work performed between 10:00 pm and 6:00 am. For industrial undertakings, employers need a permit from the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection to employ workers during nighttime hours. This ensures adherence to safety regulations and proper working conditions for night shift employees.

Night work is compensated at a higher rate. Employers must pay employees at least a 30% increase on their regular wage for every hour of night work. Alternatively, employees can choose to receive additional time off in lieu of monetary compensation, with a minimum of one hour of additional time off for every hour worked at night.

The Labor Code doesn't explicitly restrict working hours on weekends. However, the standard workweek in Belarus can be spread across weekdays and weekends depending on the employment contract, industry norms, and collective bargaining agreements. Weekend work generally follows the same compensation rules as night work.

For a thorough understanding of night shift and weekend work regulations and your rights as an employee in Belarus, it's recommended to consult the latest version of the Labor Code of the Republic of Belarus or seek advice from a legal professional specializing in Belarusian labor law.