Attendance software in Jordan: what the hours rules need
Attendance records decide overtime pay. The Labour Law limits daily and weekly hours, sets overtime rates and protects the weekly rest day, so an attendance system has to record hours in a way that follows those rules. This checklist covers what to record and what to ask each vendor.
The hours rules
- A worker may not be made to work more than eight hours a day or 48 hours a week, except as the law allows. Meal and rest time does not count (Labour Law, Article 56(a)).
- Weekly hours can be spread over the week, as long as the daily total does not exceed 11 hours (Article 56(b)).
- An employer with ten or more workers must have an internal regulation, approved by the Minister, that sets working hours, daily and weekly rest, and the penalties for breaches (Article 55).
- The hours articles do not apply to people in general supervision or management of the business, or to staff whose work requires travel inside or outside the Kingdom (Article 58). Record who is excluded, and why.
Set working patterns for each employee or group, with these rules built in, and flag any day that breaks them.
Overtime and compulsory overtime
Extra hours need the worker's consent (Article 59(a)). Each overtime hour is paid at least 125% of the usual wage. Work on a weekly rest day, a religious feast or an official holiday earns an additional amount of at least 150% of the usual wage (Article 59(b)).
Compulsory overtime is limited (Article 57). Up to 30 days a year, with no more than 10 hours on each day, for annual stocktaking, budgets and accounts, or preparing a sale. Up to 30 days a year to prevent loss of perishable goods, avoid technical risk, or receive, deliver or move materials. Work on these days is paid at the overtime rate.
The system should keep each consent, count the days against the 30-day limits, and split overtime at 125% and 150% for payroll.
Weekly rest
- The weekly rest day is Friday, unless the nature of the work requires another day (Article 60(a)).
- With the employer's consent, rest days can be accumulated and taken within one month (Article 60(b)).
- A worker paid by the day or the week earns the rest-day pay after six consecutive days of work, or pro rata for three or more days worked in the week (Article 60(c)).
Leave and work stoppages
- Annual leave is 14 days, or 21 days after five consecutive years with the same employer. Official holidays, religious feasts and weekly rest days are not counted as leave (Article 61(a)). Leave taken in parts must be at least two days each (Article 62).
- Sick leave is 14 days a year on full pay, on a doctor's report (Article 65).
- When work stops for a reason that is not the employer's fault, staff are paid in full for the first 10 days of the stoppage in the year, and half pay after that, up to 60 paid days a year (Article 50). Record each stoppage, with its start and end dates.
Log each type of absence with its reason and any document that supports it, so it can be checked later.
Nursing breaks and night work
- After maternity leave, and within a year of the birth, a working woman may take paid nursing breaks totalling no more than one hour a day (Article 71). The system should track these breaks separately.
- The Minister issues instructions to protect pregnant and nursing women, persons with disabilities and night workers (Article 69(b)). If your business runs night shifts, check those instructions before you set the roster.
Evidence, edits and privacy
- The Wage Authority can hear claims for unpaid overtime or late pay. A worker can file while still employed, or within six months after leaving (Article 54). Your records need to show the hours behind any claim.
- Check every edit. Keep the original punch, the new value, the time of the change and the user who made it.
- Biometric data (fingerprint or face) is sensitive. Ask where it is stored, who can see it, how long it is kept and how it is deleted when someone leaves.
- Mobile and GPS check-in suits field staff. Offline check-in must sync without losing any records when the connection returns.
Questions for every vendor, in writing
- Does the system apply the eight-hour, 48-hour and 11-hour rules, and flag any breach?
- Can we record exemptions for managers and travelling staff, with the reason?
- Does it record the worker's consent to overtime, and count compulsory overtime days against the 30-day limit?
- Does it track rest-day pay after six consecutive days of work?
- Can it export hours and overtime to payroll, split at 125% and 150%?
- Does it work offline, and how does it sync when the connection returns?
- Does it keep an audit log for every edit?
- Where is biometric data stored, and can it be deleted on request?
Where SSByte stands
BYTE is coming soon. Ask us in writing which attendance features are ready before you decide. For how hours feed pay, read the payroll checklist.
Questions people ask
Do I need an attendance system with fewer than ten workers?
The internal regulation rule starts at ten workers (Article 55). The hours and overtime rules in Articles 56 to 60 do not depend on size, so a record of hours and of each overtime consent is still worth keeping.
Can we use fingerprint or face attendance?
It can be used, but biometric data is sensitive. Ask the vendor where it is stored, who can see it, how long it is kept and how it is deleted when someone leaves. Check the rules with your lawyer before you start.
How do we handle Ramadan or other special hours?
Set a dated schedule in the system for that period, and check the working-hours instructions issued for that year with your HR adviser or the Ministry of Labour.
Are managers covered by the hours rules?
The hours articles do not apply to people in general supervision or management of the business, or to staff whose work requires travel inside or outside the Kingdom (Article 58). Record who falls in those groups and why.
This guide summarises the Labour Law as amended to 2023. It is general information, not legal advice. Confirm the current rules with your lawyer or your accountant before you decide. Talk to us for a written answer to any question here.