You are using an outdated browser and your browsing experience will not be optimal. Please update to the latest version of Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Install Microsoft Edge

May 28, 2025

Cambodia Issues New Work Regulations on Overtime, Paid Holidays, and Weekly Days Off

Subscribe to Updates

On May 6, 2025, Cambodia’s Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training (MLVT) issued Prakas No. 112/25 on Overtime Work, Work on Paid Holidays, and Suspension of Weekly Days Off, which outlines specific conditions, formalities, and procedures in relation to working overtime, work on paid holidays, and suspension of weekly days off.

Overtime Work

Employees may be requested to perform overtime work based on the operational needs of the employer, particularly in the following circumstances:

  • When undertaking special assignments related to inventory and balance sheets, liquidation deadlines, and closing of accounting books.
  • In cases of excessive workload arising from exceptional circumstances where alternative measures are not feasible for the employer.

However, the overtime work must be conducted voluntarily and must not be enforced through coercion or disciplinary action.

Although this new prakas on overtime work does not specify the maximum allowable hours of overtime work, the Labor Law states that overtime must not cause total working hours to exceed 10 hours per day, except in cases of disaster prevention or rectification.

Work on Paid Public Holidays

Employees are entitled to paid public holidays announced annually by the MLVT. However, when work cannot be suspended, employees may be requested to perform work on paid public holidays on a voluntary basis.

Suspension of Weekly Days Off

When urgent work is required to prevent imminent accidents or to repair damage to materials, facilities, or buildings, weekly days off may be suspended for up to two nonconsecutive days per month. This applies to both employees of the affected enterprise and those of external entities engaged in the repairs of the affected enterprise.

Reduction of Weekly Days Off Due to Weather

Certain categories of enterprises are permitted to reduce employees’ weekly days off by up to two nonconsecutive days per month as compensation for working days interrupted by adverse weather conditions, such as heavy rain, flooding, and strong winds. However, employers must arrange compensatory leave for employees within 30 days.

Eligible enterprises are those engaged in the following:

  • Public works, including street cleaning, garbage collection in public areas, and the repair of streets or drainage systems;
  • Repair or replacement of water and gas pipelines, or in the renovation of residential or nonresidential building roofs;
  • Construction activities outside of enclosed buildings;
  • Operating brick kilns, mines, restaurants, or retail stores where work is performed in outdoor or unenclosed environments;
  • Inland waterway transportation;
  • Agricultural and fishing sectors, including crop harvesting and aquaculture;
  • Packaging of canned fruits, vegetables, and fish; or
  • Loading, unloading, or moving perishable goods or materials.

Compensation and Other Benefits for Overtime Work

Employers must pay employees for overtime work at the following rates:

  • 150% or one-and-a-half times the normal wages for overtime work conducted during the daytime on regular working days;
  • 200% or twice the normal wages for overtime work conducted from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. (overnight) and on weekly days off; and
  • Work performed on paid holidays can be compensated at a rate matching the employee’s regular daily wage.

In addition, employers must provide appropriate accommodation or transportation to employees following nighttime overtime work.

Procedural Requirements

Employers must submit the following information and documents to the MLVT for review and approval via the ministry’s Labor Automated Central Management System (LACMS) at least three working days before the commencement of overtime work, work on paid public holidays, or suspension of weekly days off:

  • The start and end dates;
  • The total number of employees, including the number of female employees, involved;
  • The reason for the additional work; and
  • A confirmation letter signed or thumbprinted by either two-thirds of the staff representatives or by over 50% of the total employees involved.

Employers are required to retain all relevant documentation for inspection by labor inspectors.

Penalties

Failure to comply with these provisions may result in a fine of KHR 3,360,000 (approx. USD 840) for each violation, in accordance with the Labor Law and Joint Prakas No. 498 on Monetary Fines for Those Who Violate the Labor Law, dated July 31, 2023.

Related Professionals

Practices

Employment

Location

RELATED INSIGHTS​ 

December 15, 2023
Employment law specialists from Tilleke & Gibbins in Vietnam provided the Vietnam chapter to the Guide to Restructuring a Cross-Border Workforce from International Employment Lawyer. This global guide, which covers 45 jurisdictions worldwide, examines the issue of workplace restructurings, particularly in relation to the needs of multinational companies. The Vietnam chapter was written by partner Kien Trung Trinh, counsel Sarah Galeski, and associate Dung Thi Phuong Le. The Q&A-style chapter focuses on key areas related to workplace restructuring, covering each of the following topics in detail: Reduction in workforce; Restructuring or reorganization of the business; Changing terms and conditions; and Areas to watch. A PDF of the Vietnam chapter can be downloaded through the button below. Tilleke & Gibbins also provided the Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand chapters to the Guide to Restructuring a Cross-Border Workforce 2024. To browse the full guide for all 45 jurisdictions, please visit the International Employment Lawyer website.
Read More
December 15, 2023
As part of its membership in Lex Mundi, Tilleke & Gibbins has published an updated edition of its Guide to Doing Business in Thailand for 2023. This guide outlines the key factors for starting and operating a business in the Thai market. Issues covered include: Investment incentives Financial facilities Exchange controls Import and export regulations Structures for doing business Requirements for the Establishment of a Business Operation of the Business Cessation or Termination of the Business Labor legislation, relations, and supply Tax Immigration requirements This publication is part of Lex Mundi’s Country Guides series prepared by member firms in more than 100 jurisdictions worldwide. The guides serve as a useful resource for planning international business strategy and researching new markets. The full Guide to Doing Business in Thailand is available through the button below.
Read More
October 20, 2023
On September 18, 2023, the Vietnamese government issued Decree No. 70/2023/ND-CP (“Decree 70”) amending and supplementing certain provisions of Decree No. 152/2020/ND-CP (“Decree 152”), which regulates foreign workers working in Vietnam and the recruitment and management of Vietnamese workers working for foreign entities in Vietnam. While Decree 70 relaxes some conditions relating to foreign workers, the general goal of protecting and prioritizing domestic labor over foreign labor remains. The major changes introduced in Decree 70 are summarized below. 1. Amended Definitions and Requirements for Worker Classifications Decree 70 introduces several changes to the requirements for foreign workers to be classified as “experts” and “technical workers.” Under Decree 152, foreign workers needed to hold bachelor’s degrees or receive training directly related to their intended job positions in Vietnam. However, under Decree 70, experts are only required to have a university degree or higher and at least three years of relevant work experience suitable for their intended positions in Vietnam. Similarly, it is no longer necessary for technical workers to have training in a specific technical field to be eligible to work in Vietnam. Instead, a technical worker is defined as someone who has undergone at least one year of training and possesses at least three years of working experience suitable for their intended job position. Additionally, Decree 70 clarifies and expands the scope of the term “executive director”. Accordingly, an executive director can be (i) the head of a branch, representative office, or business location of an enterprise (which helps clarify the previous definition of “executive director” in Decree 152); or (ii) an individual who oversees at least one field within an agency, organization, or enterprise while being under the direct supervision of the head of that agency, organization, or enterprise. 2. Application for Work Permit The general procedure for
Read More
October 12, 2023
Myanmar has made important amendments to its minimum wage framework by increasing the minimum compensation for workers in both the public and private sectors. Background In May 2018, the National Committee for Setting the Minimum Wage determined that all workers in Myanmar should receive a minimum wage of MMK 4,800 per day (approx. USD 2.29), equivalent to MMK 600 per hour for an eight-hour workday. This rule applied to all workers, without differentiation in location or job. Government Workers and Organizations In September 2023, the Ministry of Planning and Finance announced that daily workers in government departments and organizations are entitled to receive an additional benefit of MMK 1,000 on top of their existing daily wage, which was already MMK 4,800. Consequently, they could earn a total of MMK 5,800 per day for eight hours of work. Private-Sector Workers On October 9, 2023, the national committee announced an increase of minimum wages for employees in the private sector. According to Notification No. 2/2023, workers at private-sector employers with more than 10 employees are now entitled to minimum compensation of MMK 5,800 per day (approx. USD 2.77)—an additional MMK 1,000 per eight-hour workday over the previously established minimum wage. The changes took effect on October 1, 2023. For more details about these changes, or any aspect of employee compensation or employment law in Myanmar, please contact Tilleke & Gibbins at [email protected].
Read More