Short answer
In Singapore, employees covered by Part 4 of the Employment Act must be paid at least 1.5 times their hourly basic rate for every hour worked beyond their normal contractual hours. For a monthly-rated employee, the hourly basic rate is (12 × monthly basic salary) ÷ (52 × 44). Overtime is capped at 72 hours a month.
When your team puts in extra hours, they need to be paid correctly. Underpaying overtime leads to unhappy staff and claims, and overpaying eats into your margins. This guide sets out MOM’s rules, the formula and worked examples, then shows how to stop calculating overtime by hand.
Who is entitled to overtime pay
Overtime rules apply to employees covered by Part 4 of the Employment Act (sometimes written as Part IV). Part 4 covers:
- A workman (someone whose work is mainly manual labour) earning a monthly basic salary of S$4,500 or less.
- An employee who is not a workman, but is covered by the Employment Act, earning a monthly basic salary of S$2,600 or less.
Basic salary excludes overtime, bonuses, annual wage supplement, productivity incentive payments, reimbursements for special expenses and all allowances. Part 4 does not cover managers or executives. Employees outside Part 4 get overtime according to their employment contract.
For non-workmen, the overtime rate is capped at the S$2,600 salary level, which is an hourly rate of S$13.60.
Source: MOM, Employment Act: who it covers
Normal hours of work
Overtime is all work beyond the normal hours of work, excluding breaks. Under MOM rules, contractual hours are:
- If you work 5 days or less a week: up to 9 hours a day or 44 hours a week.
- If you work more than 5 days a week: up to 8 hours a day or 44 hours a week.
An employee cannot work more than 12 hours a day, except in the special circumstances MOM lists.
Source: MOM, Hours of work, overtime and rest day
How to calculate overtime pay
MOM’s formula is:
Overtime pay = hourly basic rate of pay × 1.5 × number of overtime hours
The hourly basic rate depends on how the employee is paid:
| Employee type | Hourly basic rate of pay |
|---|---|
| Monthly-rated | (12 × monthly basic rate of pay) ÷ (52 × 44) |
| Daily-rated | Daily pay at the basic rate ÷ working hours per day |
| Piece-rated | Total weekly pay at the basic rate ÷ total hours worked in the week |
Overtime must be paid within 14 days after the last day of the salary period.
Worked example (from MOM)
A non-workman earns S$2,600 a month and works 2 hours of overtime:
S$13.60 × 1.5 × 2 hours = S$40.80
Source: MOM, Hours of work, overtime and rest day
The 72-hour monthly overtime limit
An employee can work up to 72 overtime hours in a month. Employers can apply to MOM for an exemption if they need more.
Work on a rest day or public holiday does not count towards the 72 hours, except for hours worked beyond the usual daily working hours on those days.
Pay for work on a rest day
Employers must give 1 rest day a week. If an employee works on their rest day, MOM sets the pay as:
| Work done | At the employer’s request | At the employee’s request |
|---|---|---|
| Up to half the normal daily working hours | 1 day’s salary | Half a day’s salary |
| More than half the normal daily working hours | 2 days’ salary | 1 day’s salary |
| Beyond the normal daily working hours | 2 days’ salary + overtime pay | 1 day’s salary + overtime pay |
Overtime on a rest day or public holiday is calculated as: (hourly basic rate × 1.5 × overtime hours) + rest day or public holiday pay.
Source: MOM, Calculate pay for work on a rest day
Pay for work on a public holiday
Employees covered by the Employment Act get 11 paid public holidays a year. If an employee works on a public holiday that falls on a working day, they are entitled to an extra day’s salary at the basic rate of pay, on top of their gross rate of pay for the holiday, plus overtime pay for hours beyond their normal hours of work. By mutual agreement, a public holiday in lieu can be given instead.
Source: MOM, Public holidays: entitlement and pay
Using the MOM overtime calculator
MOM’s overtime calculator is for monthly-rated employees covered by Part 4 of the Employment Act. Enter the monthly basic salary and the overtime hours, and it works out the overtime pay. It is handy for checking one person. It does not track hours across a roster, so for a team you still need accurate hours for everyone first.
MOM: Calculate overtime pay for a monthly-rated employee
Common challenges with overtime calculations
- Complex shift patterns: F&B and retail staff work irregular hours, so it is hard to see who has gone past their normal hours.
- Manual errors: re-typing hours from paper or spreadsheets leads to wrong hours or wrong rates.
- Time: sorting through timesheets for every outlet takes hours as your team grows.
How StaffAny tracks overtime hours
StaffAny records clock-ins and clock-outs against the roster and consolidates hours from every outlet into one set of timesheets. Overtime settings can follow each staff member’s daily or weekly overtime limits, or count work before a shift’s scheduled start or after its scheduled end. Managers can spot and fix unusual hours before payroll.
PayrollAny calculates overtime from approved timesheets
PayrollAny’s default overtime pay item calculates approved overtime hours at 1.5 times the basic rate, in the same pay run as basic pay, public holiday pay and CPF. Payslips go to staff in the StaffAny app, and they meet MOM’s itemised payslip requirements, including overtime hours and overtime pay.
EDGE Grant support
StaffAny Schedule and StaffAny HRMS Core may qualify for up to 50% support under Enterprise Singapore’s EDGE Grant, subject to eligibility and approval.
StaffAny Schedule on SMEs Go Digital · StaffAny HRMS Core on SMEs Go Digital
Frequently asked questions
Who is entitled to overtime pay in Singapore?
Employees covered by Part 4 of the Employment Act: workmen earning a monthly basic salary of S$4,500 or less, and non-workmen earning S$2,600 or less. Managers and executives are not covered by Part 4, so their overtime depends on their employment contract.
What is the overtime rate in Singapore?
At least 1.5 times the hourly basic rate of pay for each hour worked beyond normal contractual hours. For non-workmen, the rate is capped at the S$2,600 salary level, an hourly rate of S$13.60.
How do I calculate the hourly basic rate for a monthly-rated employee?
Use MOM’s formula: (12 × monthly basic salary) ÷ (52 × 44). Then multiply the hourly rate by 1.5 and by the number of overtime hours to get the overtime pay.
What is the maximum overtime an employee can work in a month?
72 hours. Work on a rest day or public holiday does not count, except for hours beyond the usual daily working hours on those days. Employers can apply to MOM for an exemption.
How much should I pay for work on a rest day?
At the employer’s request, 1 day’s salary for up to half the normal daily hours, 2 days’ salary for more than half, and 2 days’ salary plus overtime pay beyond the normal daily hours. Rates are lower when the employee asks to work.
How much should I pay for work on a public holiday?
An extra day’s salary at the basic rate of pay, on top of the gross rate of pay for the holiday, plus overtime pay for hours beyond normal working hours. A public holiday in lieu can be given instead by mutual agreement.
When must overtime be paid?
Within 14 days after the last day of the salary period.
Can StaffAny calculate overtime pay automatically?
Yes. StaffAny tracks overtime hours from clock-ins against each staff member’s overtime limits or scheduled shift times. PayrollAny then calculates overtime pay at 1.5 times the basic rate once managers approve the timesheets.
Conclusion
Overtime in Singapore follows clear MOM rules: at least 1.5 times the hourly basic rate, a 72-hour monthly cap, and separate rules for rest days and public holidays. The MOM calculator works for checking one person. For a whole team across outlets, take overtime straight from approved timesheets so nobody re-types hours.
New: Paying part-time staff weekly? See payroll software for weekly, overtime and public-holiday pay.
Sources
- MOM: Hours of work, overtime and rest day
- MOM: Employment Act, who it covers
- MOM: Calculate overtime pay for a monthly-rated employee
- MOM: Calculate pay for work on a rest day
- MOM: Public holidays, entitlement and pay
- MOM: Itemised pay slips
- StaffAny Schedule on SMEs Go Digital
- StaffAny HRMS Core on SMEs Go Digital
- StaffAny help: Overtime settings
- StaffAny help: Pay item setup (Singapore)
For more practical guidance, see Common manual restaurant payroll errors.
Preparing payslips for your team? Use the free Singapore payslip generator to enter pay details and create payslips for salaried or hourly employees.
