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CAIRO - 25 March 2026: The regulation of working hours in Egypt has witnessed a significant legislative evolution with the enforcement of the New Labor Law No 14 of 2025 and its executive ministerial decrees.
This integrated framework aims to achieve a precise balance between production requirements and the protection of workers rights by setting strict limits on actual working hours and mandatory rest periods
Maximum Limits for Actual Working Hours
According to Article 117 of the law an employee may not be required to perform actual work for more than 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week. Actual working hours do not include periods designated for rest or meals.
Furthermore, the Minister of Labor has the authority to reduce these maximum limits for specific categories of workers or in industries characterized by extreme physical strain or exhaustion.
Mandatory Rest Periods and Consecutive Work
Article 118 mandates that the workday must be interspersed with one or more rest periods totaling at least one hour. These breaks must be organized so that no employee works for more than 5 consecutive hours without a mandatory rest period.
This rule ensures that workers maintain their physical and mental focus throughout the day
Total Daily Presence Within the Facility
Article 119 establishes the general rule that the period between the start and end of the workday must not exceed 10 hours per day including rest periods.
However, certain exceptions are granted for activities that are intermittent by nature. Ministerial decrees have officially increased the maximum daily presence for seven specific sectors to 12 hours per day to accommodate tasks that require waiting periods or intermittent performance
Paid Weekly Rest Rights
Under Article 120, employers are legally obligated to grant workers a continuous weekly rest period of no less than 24 hours with full pay. This rest period must be provided after a maximum of six consecutive working days to ensure the long term well being of the workforce
Overtime Regulations and Financial Compensation
Article 121, governs the use of overtime in cases of necessity or exceptional circumstances. In such instances, employees are entitled to their original wage plus an additional premium of no less than 35 percent for daytime overtime and 70 percent for nighttime overtime. If an employee is required to work on their weekly day of rest, they are entitled to double their wage for that day plus a substitute day of rest in the following week.
The total presence within the facility must never exceed 12 hours per day in any case.
Exceptions for Intermittent and Specialized Sectors
Ministerial Decrees No 289 and 290 of 2025 have identified several sectors that require flexible scheduling due to their specific operational nature.
- Maritime and Logistics Workers involved in docking ships lighthouse operations and emergency ship repairs.
- Emergency Healthcare Staff providing urgent medical services in hospitals and clinics.
- Transportation Personnel in railway road and air transport where waiting periods between trips are common.
- Digital and Tech Services Employees in data centers and cloud computing, who monitor systems periodically rather than continuously.
Transparency and Electronic Documentation
The new regulations require all establishments to maintain either paper or electronic registers documenting actual working hours, overtime shifts, rest periods, and total daily presence.
This measure ensures transparency and allows the Ministry of Labor to effectively monitor compliance with the law.
This comprehensive legal system in 2026 provides a stable environment for the Egyptian private sector by protecting the workforce from burnout, while allowing businesses the necessary flexibility for specialized industries.
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