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Working Hours - Working Hours

  • Updated

Each question below includes its SLCP/FSLM key and the related recommendation. In some cases, the same guidance applies to multiple IDs.

Table of Contents

 

Vietnam: Provide 30 minutes of time off per day for female workers for rest during their period

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Recommendations

  • If a female employee chooses not to take the menstrual break and continues working with the employer's consent, she is entitled to extra wages corresponding to the work done during the break period. 
  • This additional work is not counted as overtime. Inform all female employees about their rights to menstrual leave and the procedures to request such breaks. 
  • Keep accurate records of leave taken and any additional compensation provided to employees who opt to work during their menstrual period. 
  • Encourage a workplace culture that respects and supports women's health needs, ensuring they feel comfortable exercising their rights without stigma.​

 

Ethiopia: Provide legally required time off for prenatal visits

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Recommendations

Examine current workplace policies to confirm they align with the mandated provisions for prenatal medical leave. Inform all employees about their rights to prenatal medical leave and the procedures to request such leave. Keep accurate records of leave taken and any medical certificates provided to ensure compliance and for future reference.

 

Ethiopia: Provide time off for workers to appear at labor dispute hearings and to exercise their civil rights and duties

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Recommendations

  • Examine current workplace policies to confirm they align with the mandated provisions for time off related to labor dispute participation and civil duties.
  • Keep accurate records of any leave or time off granted for these purposes to ensure compliance and for future reference.

 

Is the facility failing to correctly provide workers time off for any of these types of leave, as legally required:

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• All public holidays 

• Annual leave 

• Sick leave 

• Maternity leave 

• Paternity leave 

• Personal leave 

• Other types of required leave (which may include country-specific leave requirements)? 

 

Does the facility maintain only one accurate set of working hour records?

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Recommendations

  • The facility must maintain only one complete and accurate record of working hours, ensuring all workers’ schedules are correctly logged. 
  • Records should reflect actual hours worked, including overtime, and must not be altered to hide excessive work hours. 
  • Employers should implement electronic timekeeping systems to prevent manual record manipulation. 
  • HR and compliance teams should regularly review timekeeping records to ensure accuracy and compliance with labor laws. 
  • Employers must comply with national and international labor laws on maximum working hours and overtime limits. 
  • All HR personnel and supervisors must be trained on the importance of maintaining accurate and legal working hour records. Workers should be informed of their right to review their working hours and report discrepancies.

 

Do regular working hours exceed legal requirements?

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Recommendations

  • Employers must review national labor laws and ILO conventions on working hours and adjust schedules accordingly. 
  • Regular working hours should not exceed the legal maximum limit set by the country’s labor laws. 
  • Employers should explore hiring additional workers or implementing shift rotations to reduce overreliance on long working hours. 
  • Production planning should account for legal working hour limits to avoid worker exploitation. 
  • Internal audits should be conducted to ensure work schedules align with labor laws.
  • Employers should invest in worker training, process improvements, and technology to optimize productivity within legal working hours. Inefficiencies leading to excessive hours should be identified and corrected.

 

Are all overtime working hours in line with legal limits?

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If yes, do regular hours exceed 48 hours per week?

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Are the reasons for overtime in line with legal requirements?

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Recommendations

  • Employers must review national labor laws and adjust work schedules to ensure compliance with regular working hours. If business needs require extended hours, alternative workforce planning (such as additional hires or shift rotations) should be considered. 
  • Employers must clearly document reasons for overtime and ensure they align with national labor laws (e.g., emergency production, unexpected demand surges).
  • Supervisors should be trained to manage workloads efficiently to avoid unnecessary overtime. 
  • All overtime work must be voluntary and compensated at the legally required premium rate. Employers must maintain accurate payroll records to ensure workers are paid correctly for overtime hours. 
  • Employers should regularly review working hour records to detect and correct violations. Internal and external audits should verify that all working hour policies align with national laws and international labor standards.

 

Did the facility comply with legal requirements to inform and/or get permission from governmental authorities in order to work overtime?

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Recommendations

  • Employers must verify national labor laws to determine whether government approval is required for overtime work and obtain the necessary permits. 
  • Proper documentation should be maintained to demonstrate compliance with overtime approval processes. 
  • Employers must ensure production quotas are reasonable and in compliance with legal standards to prevent forced overtime 
  • Employers should clearly communicate to workers how overtime is managed and what production expectations are. Workers should be informed about their rights regarding overtime and production quotas to prevent exploitation.

 

Does the facility provide breaks during the workday in line with legal requirements?

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Recommendations

  • Employers must review national labor laws regarding mandated break periods and ensure they are fully implemented. 
  • Breaks should be scheduled at legally required intervals and communicated clearly to workers. 
  • Supervisors should not pressure workers to skip or shorten breaks due to production demands. 
  • Employers should regularly assess whether workers are receiving their legally entitled breaks through anonymous surveys and internal audits. 
  • Corrective actions should be taken if workers report that breaks are being denied or shortened. 
  • Supervisors and line managers should be trained on the benefits of scheduled breaks for worker health, safety, and productivity. A break compliance policy should be implemented to prevent violations.

 

Does the facility provide time off for breastfeeding in line with legal requirements?

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Recommendations

  • Employers must review local labor laws and confirm that all eligible workers are receiving the legally required breastfeeding breaks. 
  • Break policies should be included in employment contracts and worker handbooks.
  • Breaks should be counted as part of the regular working hours, and workers should not face financial penalties for taking them 
  • Employers should audit company policies and conduct anonymous surveys to ensure that breastfeeding workers receive their entitled breaks. 
  • If workers report difficulties accessing breaks, corrective action should be taken immediately. 
  • HR policies should explicitly support the rights of breastfeeding mothers and provide guidance on available accommodations. 
  • Awareness sessions should be conducted to educate workers and managers on breastfeeding rights and workplace policies.

 

Are the weekly rest days provided by the facility in line with legal requirements?

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Recommendations

  • Employers must review local labor regulations to confirm the required number of weekly rest days and ensure compliance. 
  • Rest day policies should be clearly documented in employment contracts and worker handbooks. 
  • If shift work requires non-traditional rest day arrangements, workers should still receive a minimum consecutive 24-hour rest period. 
  • Employers should periodically audit work schedules to confirm that weekly rest days are consistently granted to all employees.
  •  Anonymous worker feedback should be collected to ensure that workers are not pressured into skipping rest days. 
  • Supervisors and HR personnel should be trained on the importance of adhering to weekly rest day regulations and preventing labor law violations. 
  • Work schedules should be reviewed and approved to avoid excessive overtime leading to missed rest days.

 

Is the facility failing to comply with any legal requirements not covered elsewhere regarding Working Hours?

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Recommendations

  • Employers must review national labor laws and ensure all working hour policies align with legal requirements. 
  • Regular and overtime hours should not exceed legal limits unless exemptions apply. Facilities should enforce policies ensuring that overtime is voluntary and compensated at the correct legal rate. 
  • Production planning should minimize excessive overtime demands.
  • Employers must schedule and enforce breaks and rest days to prevent worker fatigue. Workers should be informed of their rights to rest periods and legally mandated breaks.Regular compliance audits should be performed to identify any working hour violations.

 

Is the facility failing to comply with any legal requirements for Working Hours pertaining to non-production workers and/or onsite sub-contracted workers?

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Recommendations

  • Employers must review national labor laws and ensure that working hour policies apply equally to production and non-production workers. Sub-contracted workers should receive the same legal protections as directly employed workers. 
  • Employers should ensure that third-party service providers accurately track and report work hours for all workers. 
  • Contracts with sub-contractors should mandate compliance with national labor laws regarding working hours and overtime pay.
  •  Non-production workers should be correctly classified as employees if they meet the criteria under labor laws. 
  • Facilities should conduct regular compliance audits to ensure that non-production and sub-contracted workers are not subjected to excessive working hours.

 

Vietnam: Does the facility comply with legal requirements concerning breaks for shift work?

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Recommendations

  • Employers must review work schedules and ensure that all shift workers receive the required 30-minute (day shift) or 45-minute (night shift) rest breaks.
  •  Breaks should be scheduled consistently and enforced across all shifts. 
  • Employers must ensure that rest breaks are recorded as part of the working hours and that workers are paid accordingly. 
  • Regular internal audits should be conducted to ensure that break policies are being followed. 
  • Workers should be surveyed anonymously to confirm that they are receiving their entitled breaks without pressure to skip them.

 

Working hour records for each worker are not maintained for at least the last 12 months

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Recommendations

  • Employers should maintain clear distinctions between regular and overtime hours in attendance logs and payroll systems. 
  • Failure to track overtime separately may lead to underpayment or excessive working hours beyond legal limits. 
  • Employers must ensure that clock-in and clock-out times are recorded accurately and not estimated. 
  • Workers should confirm that their actual working hours match recorded hours to prevent disputes. 
  • Attendance logs, payroll systems, and supporting documents (e.g., security logbooks, factory equipment records) must align to prevent inconsistencies. Discrepancies should be investigated and corrected immediately

 

Pakistan: Provide required time off for Iddat

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Recommendations

  • Incorporate provisions for Iddat leave into the company's leave policies, ensuring clarity and compliance with national laws. 
  • Inform all female employees about their entitlement to Iddat leave and the procedure to apply for it.
  • Maintain accurate records of leave applications and approvals to demonstrate compliance during audits or inspections.
  • Ensure that granting Iddat leave does not lead to any form of discrimination or adverse treatment in the workplace.

 

Are work targets for production (e.g. quota or piece work) in line with legal requirements?

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Recommendations

  • Employers must set reasonable production targets that workers can meet within their regular work schedule without being forced into excessive overtime. 
  • Production planning should be based on realistic productivity levels rather than placing undue pressure on workers. 
  • Employers must calculate piece-rate earnings to ensure workers earn at least the legal minimum wage based on standard working hours. If necessary, adjust payment structures to guarantee fair compensation. 
  • Employers should invest in better training, equipment, and workflow management to ensure workers can meet quotas without excessive strain. Where possible, work rotation or automation can be used to reduce physical stress on workers.

 

Pakistan: Pay workers correctly during Iddat leave

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Recommendations

  • Consult the Law Overlay for specific legal obligations regarding Iddat leave and wage entitlements. 
  • Confirm that all affected female workers receive full payment during the legally mandated Iddat leave period. 
  • Develop and communicate a formal policy outlining wage entitlements for workers taking Iddat leave. 
  • Ensure HR and payroll teams are trained to process Iddat leave payments correctly and on time. 
  • Ensure that all workers are properly registered under Pakistan’s social security system. If a worker is denied Iddat leave benefits due to employer non-compliance in social security registration, take immediate corrective action. 
  • Track all Iddat leave cases and associated wage payments in payroll records. Regularly review compliance through internal audits to prevent wage discrepancies. 
  • Ensuring full compliance with legal obligations for Iddat leave, the facility can protect workers’ rights, uphold ethical labor standards, and avoid legal or reputational risks.

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