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Standard full-time hours in New Zealand are anywhere between 35 – 40 hours per week. The maximum is 40 hours over 5 days.
Although there is no standard rule, generally the working day is between 09:00 and 17:00. The time zone is New Zealand Standard Time (NZST) is GMT+12
Employees are usually expected to work a 5-day week from Monday to Friday.
The maximum is 40 hours per week over 5 days, however employees can agree to work more than 40 hours over 5 days. Any agreement between employer and employee on additional working hours must be reflected in the employment agreement.
New Zealand employment legislation does not define what full-time or part-time work is, but part-time work is usually up to 30 hours per week.
Any hours worked above the normal number of hours agreed to in the employment agreement, are classed as overtime.
There is no standard rate of overtime pay in New Zealand. Employers should include an overtime clause in employment agreements, including the rate of overtime pay – usually time and a half of the normal pay rate.
No. It’s not illegal to work on the weekend in New Zealand, but employers must try to schedule the maximum number of hours over no more than five days of the week.
Employment agreements must include the expected hours of work and, if necessary, an overtime clause with details on overtime pay. Any changes to the hours of work on the initial employment agreement, must be agreed in writing between employer and employee.
Flexible working options such as a 4 day work week are offered by some employers in New Zealand. The standard work week in New Zealand remains 40 hours from Monday to Friday.
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The standard working week runs from Monday to Friday in New Zealand. Weekends can be worked, provided the employment agreement clearly states the expected days of work.
There is no maximum amount of annual overtime in New Zealand. However, New Zealand’s workplace health and safety regulator, WorkSafe, requires employers to take all practicable steps to ensure the health and safety of employees. This extends to requiring employees to work a ‘safe’ number of hours and avoiding workplace fatigue.
There is no definition of an overtime rate of pay in New Zealand. Many employers include an overtime clause within employment agreements, but this practice is usually for employees earning a wage rather than a salary. Time and a half or 150% wages is generally considered a fair rate of overtime pay in New Zealand.
A day is considered a business day when New Zealand government agencies are normally open. Business days exclude Saturdays and Sundays and national public holidays.
