Working hours, overtime pay and rest days
Regulation of Wages Order · sources read 2 Oct 2026
A normal working week is at most 52 hours over six days (60 hours for night work). Extra hours are paid at 1.5 times your hourly rate, and work on your rest day or a public holiday at twice the hourly rate. You are entitled to one full rest day a week.
- Where
- Your area Labour Officer (State Department for Labour)
Steps
- Find your hourly rate: if you're paid monthly, it's at least your basic monthly wage divided by 225.
- Hours beyond your normal week: 1.5 times that rate. Rest day or public holiday: 2 times that rate.
- If you're not paid what you're owed, report it to your area Labour Officer.
Watch out
- Normal hours plus overtime can't exceed 116 hours in any two weeks (144 for night workers).
- You get one full rest day a week. You and your employer can agree to defer it, and up to 14 deferred rest days can be taken later as paid leave.
- Anyone under 16 can't be made to work more than 6 hours a day, and their rest day can't be deferred.
Who this covers
- Employees covered by the General Wages Order (urban areas). Farm workers have a separate agricultural order.
Official sources (1)
- The Regulation of Wages (General) Order (L.N. 120 of 1982), as amended to L.N. 108 of 2026 new.kenyalaw.org · read 2 Oct 2026