The legal framework for overtime in Senegal
In Senegal, the legal working time is set at 40 hours per week by the Labour Code (Law No. 97-17). Any excess constitutes overtime that must be compensated with surcharges, or offset by equivalent supplementary rest.
The employer cannot impose overtime beyond certain thresholds without labor inspection authorization, and annual overtime is limited (generally 100–200 hours per collective agreements).
Legal overtime rates in Senegal in 2026
Minimum surcharges set by the Senegalese Labour Code:
- +15%: for the first 8 overtime hours of the week (hours 41–48).
- +40%: for hours beyond 48h/week.
- +60%: for hours worked between 10pm and 5am (night hours).
- +100%: for Sunday and legal public holiday hours.
Important: these rates are legal minimums. Sector-specific collective agreements may provide more favorable rates.
Calculation method with concrete examples
Basic hourly rate = Monthly base salary ÷ 173.33h (40h × 52/12).
Example 1 — Worker, base salary 150,000 XOF/month, 5 overtime hours on a weekday (hours 41–45):
- Basic hourly rate: 150,000 ÷ 173.33 = 865 XOF/h
- Surcharge +15% → surcharged rate = 865 × 1.15 = 995 XOF/h
- Amount for 5 overtime hours: 5 × 995 = 4,975 XOF
Example 2 — 3 hours worked on Sunday:
- Surcharged rate +100%: 865 × 2 = 1,730 XOF/h
- Amount: 3 × 1,730 = 5,190 XOF
Sector-specific rules: construction, security, healthcare, food service
Each sector may have its own collective agreement with different rates:
- Construction: generally legal minimum rates, with special rates for large public works.
- Private security: night hours (9pm–5am) often surcharged at 30–35% per company agreements.
- Private healthcare: on-call and standby subject to specific regulations (flat allowances or surcharged hourly rates).
- Hotel & catering: night and Sunday rates often above legal minimums per national collective agreements.
Weplanify can be configured with the specific rates of each collective agreement applicable to your company.
FAQ — Overtime Senegal
Can overtime be compensated with rest instead of money?
Yes. The Senegalese Labour Code allows replacing overtime payment with an equivalent compensatory rest surcharge, granted within an agreed timeframe (generally within the following month).
Is authorization required to make an employee work beyond 48h/week?
Yes. Beyond 48 weekly hours, the employer must in principle obtain authorization from the Labor and Social Security Inspectorate, unless the applicable collective agreement provides otherwise.
How does Weplanify help me avoid unwanted overtime overruns?
Weplanify displays each employee's weekly hour total in real time. As soon as an employee approaches the 40h threshold, the manager receives an alert. The system can block assignments that would exceed a defined ceiling.
Automate overtime calculation with Weplanify
Weplanify automatically tracks, calculates, and exports all overtime and surcharges. 14-day free trial. Request a demo or write to [email protected].