Kuwait
Kuwait Labour Law, Article 66: overtime hours
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To check this, or for anything official:
Kuwait's Public Authority for Manpowermanpower.gov.kw
See what your overtime hours are worth before payday.
Work out your overtime pay under Kuwait Labour Law 6 of 2010 (Articles 66, 67 and 68).
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How is overtime calculated?
- Hourly wage = (basic + fixed allowances) ÷ 240
- ordinary: × 1.25 · rest day: × 1.5 · holiday: × 2
- Overtime = sum of (hours × hourly wage × multiplier)
Symbols
- hourly wage
- The monthly wage divided by 240 hours, which is 30 days × 8 hours
- multiplier
- The rate the law sets for each kind of hour
What are 10 overtime hours worth on 400?
An employee with a monthly wage of 1,200 KWD works 10 overtime hours on normal working days during the month, 8 hours on the weekly rest day and 8 hours on an official holiday.
- Hourly wage: 1,200 ÷ 240 = 5 KWD
- Regular overtime hours: 10 × 5 × 1.25 = 62.500 KWD
- Weekly rest day hours: 8 × 5 × 1.5 = 60 KWD
- Official holiday hours: 8 × 5 × 2 = 80 KWD
The total is 62.500 + 60 + 80 = 202.500 KWD for 26 overtime hours, and on top of that the employee is owed one substitute day off for the rest day and another for the official holiday.
How do ordinary, rest-day and holiday hours differ?
Under Article 66 of Kuwait's Private Sector Labour Law No. 6 of 2010, every overtime hour worked on a normal working day is paid at the hourly wage plus 25%, that is 125% of the hourly wage. The calculator works out the hourly wage by dividing the monthly wage by 240, which is 30 days multiplied by 8 working hours.
Work on the weekly rest day is paid under Article 67 at that day's wage plus 50%, that is 150%, plus a substitute day off. Work on an official holiday is paid under Article 68 at that day's wage plus 100%, that is 200%, again with a substitute day off. Kuwait's 200% holiday rate is the most generous in the Gulf, and many workers miss that the substitute day off comes on top of the money rather than instead of it.
Overtime may not exceed two hours a day or 180 hours a year, and may not be worked on more than 90 days a year. The rate in these articles is set by the type of day rather than the hour of work, so leave the night hours field empty unless your contract or company policy pays a premium for night work, and enter the hours of each type separately to see the pay for each line and the total.
- Hourly wage = monthly wage ÷ 240 (30 days × 8 hours)
- Overtime on a normal working day: 125% of the hourly wage (Article 66)
- Work on the weekly rest day: 150% plus a substitute day off (Article 67); on an official holiday: 200% plus a substitute day off (Article 68)
- Limits: two hours a day, 180 hours a year, and no more than 90 days a year
Questions about overtime and how it is paid
What is the overtime rate in Kuwait?
125% of the hourly wage on a normal working day (Article 66), 150% for work on the weekly rest day (Article 67) and 200% for work on an official holiday (Article 68). These are minimums, and your contract or company policy may pay more.
Do I get a substitute day off as well as the money?
Yes. Work on the weekly rest day or on an official holiday earns both the higher pay and a substitute day off, not one instead of the other. This differs from the UAE, where the employer chooses between the day off and the pay supplement.
What is the maximum amount of overtime?
Two hours a day and 180 hours a year, and you may not be asked to work overtime on more than 90 days in a year. If your employer goes beyond these limits, the Public Authority of Manpower is the body to raise it with.
How is the hourly wage worked out from a monthly salary?
Divide the monthly wage by 30 days and then by 8 hours, that is by 240. A monthly wage of 1,200 KWD gives an hourly wage of 5 KWD, so a normal overtime hour is worth 6.250 KWD.
Do allowances count in the hourly wage?
The calculator uses the monthly wage you enter and divides it by 240. Check your contract or company policy to see whether overtime is paid on the basic salary alone or on the wage including allowances, and ask the Public Authority of Manpower if you and your employer disagree.
What should I enter in the night hours field?
The rates in Articles 66, 67 and 68 are set by the type of day: a normal working day, the weekly rest day or an official holiday. If your contract or company policy pays a premium for night work, enter those hours here; otherwise leave the field empty and enter your hours under the type of day you worked.
Sources
Read against the statuteReviewed September 2026- Labour Law in the Private Sector No. 6 of 2010, official text (PDF, English): Public Authority of Manpower
- Public Authority of Manpower: State of Kuwait
Statutory articles this calculator applies
- Kuwait Labour Law, Article 66: overtime hours
- Kuwait Labour Law, Article 67: work on the weekly rest day
- Kuwait Labour Law, Article 68: work on official holidays
Kuwait Labour Law in the Private Sector: Law No. 6 of 2010, as amended