All about Working Hours in Zambia, Legal Working Hours and Salaries in Zambia, Work and Hours and Overtime and Pay in Zambia on Mywage Zambia.
How many hours should I work?
The maximum number of hours that a working person can work under the law is 48 hours per week and 45 hours under the Minimum Wages and Conditions of Employment (Shop Workers) Order.
What about annual leave days?
The minimum amount of annual leave is two days per month after six months of continuous service .The number of hours worked does not correlate to the amount of money earned. In some cases, minimal pay is received for fewer hours worked, while others work excessive hours for little pay.
Do my working hours determine my salary?
No. Most of the working population in Zambia is engaged in informal work. For example many people who work in subsistence agriculture, work less than 30 hours per week and get very little in return. On the contrary, security guards work excessive hours but also get little pay.
Is it allowed to work beyond the legal 48 hours?
No. It is illegal and the law does not allow for this. However, workers in domestic service are among those who have to work long hours for little pay. Extended working hours are another form of discrimination that domestic workers face.
For example, some domestic workers report for work as early as 06.00 hours and leave work at 17.00 hours, six days a week, excluding Sunday; a total of 66 hours – far from the stipulated maximum of 48 hours a week (excluding Sunday) stipulated in the Minimum Wages and Conditions of Employment (Domestic Workers) of 2011. Live-in domestic workers are faced with a worse situation as they have no specified time frames for their work, despite of protective legislation. Workers whose work involves night shift face long hours. The hospitality industry, health sector, security firms, mining industry, fuel stations and call centres involve elements of night-work and shift-work.
What should I do if I work longer hours?
The law provides that shift workers such as security guards, miners, call centre agents and nurses, be given some days off to compensate for long hours and also overtime pay be paid.
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Read all about Minimum Wages in Zambia.