Overtime Pay Calculator — Kenya (2026)
Calculate overtime pay per Kenya Employment Act. Includes normal overtime (1.5x), rest days/holidays (2x), and public holidays rates.
2026 Rates
Last verified: Today
Overtime Rates
Kenya Employment Act overtime rules (2026).
Rest day & holidays
Key principles
How This Overtime Calculator Works
Understanding how overtime pay is calculated in Kenya with multipliers and net impact
Step 1: Enter Your Base Rate
Input your hourly rate directly, or enter your monthly salary and the calculator will compute your hourly rate automatically (monthly salary ÷ workdays ÷ hours per day ÷ 4.345 weeks). This becomes the base for all overtime calculations.
Step 2: Add Overtime Hours by Category
Enter overtime hours for each category: weekday (normal overtime, typically 1.5x), weekend/rest day (typically 2x), and public holidays (typically 2x). You can customize multipliers if your employment contract specifies different rates.
Step 3: Calculate Gross Overtime Pay
Click "Calculate Overtime" to see your gross overtime earnings. The calculator multiplies hours by your hourly rate and the applicable multiplier for each category, then sums them to show total overtime pay using 2026 Kenya Employment Act rates.
Step 4: Estimate Net Impact (Optional)
Toggle "Estimate net impact" to see how overtime affects your take-home pay after PAYE, NSSF (6%), SHIF (2.75%), and Housing Levy (1.5%) deductions. Compare your salary with and without overtime to understand the actual net benefit.
Understanding Your Overtime Results
What each component means and how overtime affects your take-home pay
Gross Overtime Earnings
Your total overtime pay before any deductions. Calculated as: (hours × hourly rate × multiplier) for each category. This is added to your base salary to determine your total gross income for the period.
Overtime Multipliers
Kenya Employment Act mandates minimum multipliers: 1.5x for normal weekday overtime, 2x for rest days (weekends), and 2x for public holidays. Your employment contract may specify higher rates - use custom multipliers to calculate those scenarios.
PAYE Impact on Overtime
Overtime increases your gross income, potentially pushing you into higher PAYE brackets. The calculator shows PAYE on total income (salary + overtime) minus PAYE on salary alone, revealing the exact tax cost of your overtime earnings.
NSSF Contribution Increase
NSSF is 6% of gross pensionable pay including overtime. Overtime increases your NSSF contribution (capped at Tier I: KES 9,000/month, Tier II: KES 108,000/month). This reduces net overtime but increases retirement savings.
SHIF & Housing Levy Impact
SHIF (2.75%, min KES 300) and Housing Levy (1.5%) apply to gross pay including overtime. Both are tax-deductible from December 27, 2024, reducing your PAYE liability. The calculator shows the combined impact on your net overtime.
Net Overtime Take-Home
Your actual overtime earnings after all deductions. Typically 60-75% of gross overtime becomes net pay, depending on your tax bracket. Use this to decide if overtime is worth your time or to negotiate better rates with your employer.
When to Use This Overtime Calculator
Common situations where understanding overtime impact helps with work decisions and negotiations
1 Overtime Offer Evaluation
When your employer offers overtime work, use this calculator to see your actual net earnings after taxes. Compare the net hourly rate to your regular rate to decide if the overtime is financially worthwhile for you.
2 Payslip Verification
Verify your employer calculated overtime correctly. Enter your hours and multipliers to see if the overtime pay on your payslip matches. Discrepancies may indicate calculation errors or incorrect multipliers being applied.
3 Rate Negotiation
Before accepting overtime work, negotiate better multipliers if possible. Use this calculator to show your employer the net impact and justify requesting higher rates (e.g., 2x instead of 1.5x for weekday overtime).
4 Weekend vs Weekday Comparison
Compare net earnings from weekend overtime (2x) versus weekday overtime (1.5x). Weekend overtime typically gives better net pay per hour, helping you prioritize which overtime opportunities to accept.
5 Monthly Income Planning
Plan your monthly income by modeling different overtime scenarios. See how 10, 20, or 30 hours of overtime affects your take-home pay to budget accurately and set realistic income targets.
6 Tax Bracket Awareness
Understand how overtime pushes you into higher tax brackets. Large overtime amounts may be taxed at 30% or 32.5%, significantly reducing net benefit. Use this to make informed decisions about accepting extensive overtime.
Official Data Sources
Our overtime calculations use official 2026 Kenya employment and tax regulations
- Employment Act, 2007 — Establishes minimum overtime rates in Kenya. Normal overtime (weekday beyond normal hours) is 1.5x hourly rate. Rest day (weekend) and public holiday work is 2x hourly rate. Maximum 60 hours per week including overtime.
- Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) — Overtime pay is taxable income subject to PAYE. The 2026 progressive tax bands apply to total income (salary + overtime): 10%, 25%, 30%, 32.5%, 35%. Personal relief is KES 28,800/year.
- National Social Security Fund (NSSF) — NSSF contributions apply to gross pensionable pay including overtime. The 2026 rate is 6% with Tier I capped at KES 9,000/month and Tier II capped at KES 108,000/month.
- Social Health Authority (SHA) — SHIF contributions at 2.75% of gross pay (minimum KES 300/month) apply to total earnings including overtime. SHIF is tax-deductible from December 27, 2024.
- Affordable Housing Act, 2024 — Housing Levy at 1.5% of gross pay applies to total earnings including overtime. The levy is tax-deductible from December 27, 2024, reducing your taxable income before PAYE calculation.
- Last Verified: . We verify our calculations against official Employment Act provisions, KRA tax rates, and statutory deduction regulations. All rates are current for 2026.
Real-World Overtime Examples (2026)
See comprehensive overtime calculations for common scenarios in Kenya with 2026 rates
Weekday Overtime (1.5x)
Base Hourly Rate: KES 500
Overtime Hours: 10 hours
Multiplier: 1.5x (weekday)
Rate per Hour: KES 750
Gross Overtime: KES 7,500
Total Overtime Pay
KES 7,500
Weekend Work (2x)
Base Hourly Rate: KES 600
Weekend Hours: 8 hours
Multiplier: 2x (rest day)
Rate per Hour: KES 1,200
Gross Overtime: KES 9,600
Total Overtime Pay
KES 9,600
Mixed Overtime
Base Hourly Rate: KES 700
Weekday: 6 hrs @ 1.5x = KES 6,300
Holiday: 4 hrs @ 2x = KES 5,600
Total Hours: 10 hours
Gross Overtime: KES 11,900
Total Overtime Pay
KES 11,900
High Earner Overtime
Base Hourly Rate: KES 1,200
Weekend Hours: 12 hours
Multiplier: 2x (rest day)
Rate per Hour: KES 2,400
Gross Overtime: KES 28,800
Total Overtime Pay
KES 28,800
Overtime — FAQs
Common questions about overtime pay in Kenya.
Normal overtime (weekday) is 1.5x your hourly rate. Work on rest days (weekends) and public holidays is 2x hourly rate, per Kenya Employment Act 2007. Some collective agreements may specify higher rates.
Yes. Overtime pay is part of your gross income and subject to PAYE tax, NSSF (6%), SHIF (2.75%), and Housing Levy (1.5%) deductions. Use the "Estimate net impact" option to see taxes.
No. If you work overtime with employer consent, your employer must pay at the minimum rates set by the Employment Act. Refusal is a labor violation reportable to the Ministry of Labour.
Divide your monthly salary by (workdays per week × hours per day × 4.345 weeks). For example: KES 150,000 ÷ (5 days × 8 hours × 4.345) = KES 863/hour. This calculator does it automatically.
Weekday overtime (beyond normal 8-9 hours) is paid at 1.5x. Weekend (rest day) overtime is paid at 2x. Public holiday overtime is also 2x. The higher multipliers compensate for personal time lost.
Yes. Total weekly hours (including overtime) cannot exceed 60 hours per the Employment Act. Excessive overtime must be agreed upon between employer and employee, and proper compensation provided.
Yes! The 1.5x and 2x rates are minimums. You can negotiate higher multipliers (e.g., 2.5x for holidays). Enter your custom multipliers in this calculator to see the impact on your pay.
Overtime increases your monthly gross income, potentially moving you to a higher PAYE bracket. Use "Estimate net impact" to see exactly how much PAYE, NSSF, SHIF, and Housing Levy increase with overtime.
Yes, if agreed with your employer. This is called "time off in lieu" (TOIL). For example, 8 hours of Sunday work could give you a paid day off. Must be mutual agreement and properly documented.
Yes, domestic workers (house helps, gardeners, etc.) are entitled to overtime pay under the Employment Act. Rates are the same: 1.5x for weekday overtime, 2x for rest days and public holidays.
Divide your monthly salary by (workdays per week × hours per day × 4.345 weeks). For example: KES 150,000 ÷ (5 days × 8 hours × 4.345) = KES 863/hour. This calculator does it automatically when you select "From monthly salary" option.
Yes! While the Employment Act sets minimums (1.5x and 2x), your contract may specify higher rates. Enter custom multipliers in this calculator to see earnings with negotiated rates like 2.5x or 3x for special circumstances.
Non-payment of legally required overtime is a labor violation. Document your overtime hours, calculate what you're owed using this calculator, and report to the Ministry of Labour or file a claim with the Employment and Labour Relations Court.
Yes. NSSF contributions are calculated on gross pensionable pay including overtime. Higher overtime means higher NSSF contributions (6%, capped at Tier I: KES 9,000, Tier II: KES 108,000 monthly), increasing your retirement savings.
Generally yes, unless your contract specifies mandatory overtime. Overtime must be mutually agreed between employer and employee. However, refusing reasonable overtime requests repeatedly may affect your employment relationship.
Very accurate. We use official 2026 KRA tax rates, NSSF (6%), SHIF (2.75%), and Housing Levy (1.5%) rates. However, individual circumstances (pension contributions, insurance relief) may vary. This calculator provides standard statutory deductions.
Gross overtime is total earnings before deductions (hours × rate × multiplier). Net overtime is what you actually receive after PAYE, NSSF, SHIF, and Housing Levy. Typically 60-75% of gross becomes net, depending on your tax bracket.
Yes, if mutually agreed with your employer. This is called "time off in lieu" (TOIL). For example, 8 hours of Sunday work (2x) could give you 16 hours (2 days) of paid time off. Must be documented and agreed in writing.
Overtime increases your annual taxable income. When filing your iTax return, include all overtime earnings. If your employer withheld PAYE correctly on overtime, you shouldn't owe additional tax. Keep payslips showing overtime and deductions.
Overtime multipliers (1.5x, 2x) are set by the Employment Act and rarely change. However, tax rates affecting net overtime may be updated in the annual Finance Act (typically July/August). We update this calculator immediately when new rates are published.