- Cyprus sets out specific employment conditions covering working hours, overtime, and rest days for hotel and catering employees
- Hotel and catering workers in Cyprus are entitled to four weeks of paid annual leave, though sick leave entitlement differs between the two groups
- The conditions also draw a clear distinction between hotel employees and catering staff on daily hours and overtime limits
Cyprus has published detailed employment conditions that apply to workers in the hotel and catering industry, covering everything from maximum working hours to sick leave entitlements based on years of service.
Under the framework, a hotel employee is any person engaged in hotel work through a contract of employment or any other employment relationship, including workers in restaurants or kitchens that serve hotel guests.
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A catering employee, on the other hand, is any person working in a restaurant, bar, cabaret, coffee-shop, nightclub, tavern, club, or any similar establishment where food or drinks are served. Hotel managers are explicitly excluded from the scope of the hotel employee definition.
Working hours and overtime rules
Neither hotel nor catering employees may work more than 48 hours a week, including overtime. On a daily basis, both categories are capped at eight hours, but the structure differs.
Hotel workers can spread those eight hours across a maximum of 13 hours in a day, with up to two breaks, effectively allowing three shifts. Catering employees are limited to a single break, meaning their workday runs across two shifts only.
On overtime, hotel employees may work up to nine extra hours per week, while catering employees are capped at eight. In both cases, overtime must be compensated at a minimum rate of 1.5 times the normal pay.
Every hotel and catering worker is entitled to one fully paid day off per week. Annual leave stands at four weeks with full pay for both categories. In practice, that works out to 20 working days for those on a five-day week and 24 working days for those working six days a week.
Sick leave entitlements
Sick leave rules vary between the two worker categories and are also tied to length of service. Hotel employees who have worked between six months and three years qualify for 15 sick days, while those with more than three years of service are entitled to 24 days.
Catering employees receive slightly less. Workers with between six months and three years of service are entitled to 10 sick days, rising to 18 days for those with over three years on the job.
Cyprus to launch e-visa system for Nigerians
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Turkish Cypriot administration in northern Cyprus has announced plans to introduce an e-visa system for citizens of Nigeria, Armenia, and Syria, replacing the existing requirement for those nationals to obtain a full visa through a Turkish Cypriot representative office abroad.
Source: Legit.ng