What Myanmar law says
Both Myanmar working-hours statutes — the Factories Act 1951 for factories and the Shops & Establishments Act for offices, retail, and similar establishments — set the regular daily ceiling at 8 hours. Overtime is permitted on top of this, but the combined total typically cannot exceed 12 hours per day, with the OT element capped at around 4 hours.
A second important rule is the continuous-work limit: no more than 5 hours of work without a 30-minute break. This applies whether the workplace is a factory, an office, or a retail outlet, and is the rule most often missed during long peak-season days.
Daily limits
| Element | Factories Act 1951 | S&E Act |
|---|---|---|
| Regular daily hours | 8 | 8 |
| OT per day (typical) | ~4 | ~4 |
| Total per day (incl. OT) | ~12 | ~12 |
| Continuous work without break | 5 hours | 5 hours |
| Required break | 30 minutes | 30 minutes |
Edge cases
- Shift workers — 8-hour shifts are the norm; 12-hour shifts are permitted under sector notifications with adjusted rest periods, but the weekly cap still applies.
- Continuous-process operations — chemicals, cement, and certain process industries may run extended shifts; an exemption letter from the township labour office is the safest path.
- Women in factories — restrictions on night work between 10 PM and 5 AM affect daily scheduling.
- Minors — daily caps are stricter than 8 hours and night work is prohibited.
- WFH / remote — the daily cap still applies. Time-tracking via attendance software is the operational answer.
Records and inspections
Daily start, end, and break times must be captured in the attendance register, retained for ≥ 7 years. The township labour office can request the register during inspection and cross-check it against payslips for OT consistency. Discrepancies are a common trigger for back-pay claims.
Employer takeaway
Cap regular daily work at 8 hours, schedule a 30-minute break after 5 continuous hours, and limit total daily hours including OT to around 12. Keep daily attendance and break records for 7 years. The township labour office is the inspection counterparty; missing-break violations are a frequent first-time finding.
Common mistakes
- Letting the workday run past 12 hours without a sector exemption.
- Skipping the 30-minute break because "the team is busy" — a standalone offence under both acts.
- Mixing break time into "paid hours" and then claiming a 9-hour day complies — the break is unpaid and not part of the 8 hours.
- Relying on biometric exit-time only without a corresponding OT authorisation log.
Related reading: how long is the lunch break, continuous work before break, and weekly OT cap.
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