Overtime Calculator (Kenya)
Updated November 2026 · Free · No sign-up
Calculate overtime in Kenya — the General Wages Order pattern: 1.5x beyond 45 hours/week, 2x on rest days and public holidays, with sector orders varying the details.
Quick answer: Kenya’s baseline: normal week 45 hours (52.5 for night guards per orders); overtime at 1.5x; rest days/public holidays at 2x. Hourly rate convention: monthly pay ÷ 225 (per the wages orders).
The Wages-Order Framework
| Normal hours | 45/week (day workers) — sector orders vary (night: 52.5) |
| Overtime rate | 1.5x the hourly rate |
| Rest day / public holiday | 2x |
| Hourly conversion | Monthly ÷ 225 (the orders’ divisor) |
| OT ceiling | Total hours ≤ 116/2 weeks (day) per the general order |
Worked Example
KSh 60,000/month → hourly ≈ 266.67. Ten normal OT hours (×400) + 6 rest-day hours (×533.33) = 4,000 + 3,200 = KSh 7,200 extra — payable with the month’s wages and itemized on the payslip.
Sector Notes
Agriculture, security, building, and domestic orders carry their own hour/rate tables — security guards’ 52.5-hour week being the famous one. Collective agreements improve on the floors frequently. Unpaid OT claims ride the 3-year window via the Labour Office/ELRC.
Verification
Payslip must itemize OT hours and rates (Employment Act records). The ÷225 divisor matters: employers using ÷240 understate every OT hour by 6%+. Pair exits with severance checks — unpaid OT belongs in final dues.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the overtime rate in Kenya?
1.5x the hourly rate beyond 45 weekly hours; 2x for rest days and public holidays — per the General Wages Order, with sector orders varying.
How is the hourly rate computed?
Monthly pay ÷ 225 under the wages orders — divisors like 240 understate OT; check your payslip’s math.
How many hours can I legally work?
The general order caps combined hours (~116 per two weeks for day workers); sector orders differ — chronic breaches are claimable.
Do public holidays pay double?
Yes — work on gazetted holidays and weekly rest days earns 2x under the orders.
How do I claim unpaid overtime?
Labour Office complaint then ELRC within 3 years — personal hour logs plus payslips carry the claim.
✓ Formula verified • Last updated: November 3, 2026