Putin signs law raising annual overtime limit to 240 hours

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Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law increasing the maximum allowable amount of overtime work in the country. Under the new regulations, the annual limit for overtime can be raised from the current 120 hours to 240 hours.

The changes will apply in cases where such an option is stipulated in a collective agreement or an industry-wide agreement covering a specific employer.

The authors of the initiative previously noted that the existing regulations did not allow companies to officially record a significant portion of employee overtime. According to their data, most workers are willing to work beyond the established norm, including for additional earnings. The law is also seen as one of the measures to address labor shortages in certain sectors of the economy.

The document simultaneously introduces additional restrictions for certain categories of employees. For some workers, the maximum amount of overtime will remain at 120 hours per year. In addition, certain employees can only be assigned overtime with written consent and a medical certificate confirming the absence of health contraindications.

The new regulations also clarify the payment rules for overtime work. For the first two hours of overtime, employers are required to pay at least one and a half times the regular rate, and for subsequent hours, at least double the rate. If the annual overtime exceeds 120 hours, payment must also be made at least double the regular rate.

In addition, the law lifts the previous ban on recalling workers from vacation in hazardous industries if it is necessary to prevent emergencies.

The document will come into force on September 1, 2026.