Is an evening shift night work?
Not every evening shift is night work — and that is where the confusion starts. Statutory night time runs from 22.00 to 06.00. Work becomes night work only where more than two hours are performed within that period. Count carefully: a shift from 22.00 to midnight is exactly two hours — and that does not satisfy the "more than two hours" test. Where it does qualify, the supplement is at least 50% of the hourly or daily rate, or 50% of the piece-work price for work done at night. A night worker — someone working a shift schedule or at least 50 days a year at night — must normally have their normal daily working time shortened by one hour.
📋 The rules
- Night time: from 22.00 to 06.00
- Night work — more than two hours in that period
- The supplement: at least 50% of the rate
- A night worker: shift schedule or 50 days a year
- Their daily working time is cut by one hour
🔓 Exceptions
- People under 18 may not work at night; for children night starts at 20.00
- An employee with a child under three may work nights only with their consent
- Pregnant employees and those within a year of childbirth are protected by a medical opinion
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Breaching the night-work rules costs €35–350 for a natural person and €70–1,100 for a legal entity, and the employee can additionally claim the unpaid supplement. But the most important thing is not money — it is health. A night worker is entitled to an employer-funded medical examination before starting night work and at least once every two years thereafter. From the age of 50 the examination must take place at least once a year. And if a doctor finds harm caused by night work, the employee must be transferred to suitable daytime work. That is not a favour from the employer — it is a duty, and it is the part they most often stay quiet about.
📎 Official sources
❓ Frequently asked
When does night time begin?
In law, night runs from 22.00 to 06.00. For children — that is, those covered by the child-labour restrictions — night begins as early as 20.00 and the protection is stricter still.
Is every evening shift night work?
No. Work becomes night work only where more than two hours fall within the night period. A shift from 22.00 to midnight is exactly two hours and does not meet that test.
How big is the supplement?
At least 50% of the hourly or daily wage rate, or 50% of the piece-work price for work completed at night. A contract or collective agreement may provide more, but never less.
Who counts as a night worker?
An employee who performs night work under a shift schedule or does so on at least 50 days in a calendar year. Their normal daily working time must generally be shortened by one hour.
Is a medical examination required?
Yes, and the employer pays for it. It must take place before night work begins and at least once every two years afterwards — and from the age of 50, at least once a year.
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