How night work is paid when Latvia turns its clocks back for winter time
Latvia sets its clocks back one hour on the night to Sunday, so a night shift may last an hour longer. For hourly-paid staff, the employer must pay for the time actually worked, plus a night-work supplement.
Latvia switches to winter time this weekend, with clocks turned back one hour at 3:00 a.m. For people working night shifts, this means the shift can be an hour longer than usual. The question of how pay is calculated in such a case came from Ivars, a reader of the LA.LV news portal, whose hourly-paid shift falls on exactly that night.
Pay based on hours worked
Ivars asks whether he will receive higher pay for the night, given that he will work an extra hour. According to publicly available information, when an employee has a set hourly rate, pay is usually calculated according to the hours actually worked. If the night shift is an hour longer this time, the employer pays for that additional time as well.
Section 137 of Latvia's Labour Law requires employers to keep an accurate record of the time employees have worked.
Night-work supplement
Under Section 67 of the Labour Law, night work carries a supplement of at least 50% of the set hourly or daily pay rate. If an employment contract or collective agreement sets a higher supplement, that one applies. In Latvia, night time runs from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
Monthly salaries and unclear cases
If an employee has a monthly salary rather than an hourly rate, the calculation may differ depending on how working time is organised and on the terms of the contract.
If there is a suspicion that pay has been calculated incorrectly, it is advisable to check the working time records and the pay calculation. In unclear cases, an employee can turn to the employer or the State Labour Inspectorate.
