Ordinance NN 55/2024: what a working-hours record must contain

What Ordinance NN 55/2024 is

The Ordinance on the content and manner of keeping records of workers (Narodne novine 55/2024) came into force on 1 October 2024 and sets out precisely what every employer must record for each employee. The obligation stems from the Croatian Labour Act, and the Ordinance works out the details.

Two records: of workers and of working hours

The Ordinance distinguishes between the record of workers (basic data on each employee) and the record of working hours (how each person worked). The second is key for day-to-day oversight, because it is the one checked most often.

What a working-hours record must contain

For each worker and for each working day, the record must include at least:

• the start and end of working time, that is the time of arrival and departure, not just the total number of hours,
• overtime, recorded separately, with a reason and approval,
• night work, and work on Sundays and public holidays,
• breaks and daily, weekly and annual rest periods,
• the reasons for all absences, clearly categorised.

Categorising absences

It is not enough to record that a worker was absent, but also why. Absences are classified, for example into sick leave, annual leave, paid and unpaid leave, and working from home. Proper categorisation speeds up payroll and makes it easier to respond to an inspection.

Accuracy, availability and retention

The data must be accurate and up to date, available on request from the labour inspector, and the records are kept in line with the regulations. If records are not kept in the prescribed manner, in a dispute the burden of proving working hours falls on the employer, and high penalties also loom.

How to solve this simply

All of the above is easiest to satisfy when the record is created at the source, at the moment of clock-in at the entrance, with a card, PIN or QR. Then the start and end times are accurate, the pay premiums for night work and overtime are calculated automatically, absences are categorised, and the report is exported as a PDF under Article 13. Cuketi is compliant with the Ordinance and works in the plant, on the construction site, in the cold store and in hospitality. See the application scenarios.

Frequently asked questions

Since when does Ordinance NN 55/2024 apply?
The Ordinance on the content and manner of keeping records of workers has been in force since 1 October 2024.

Must the start and end of working time be recorded every day?
Yes. The record must contain the start and end of working time for each working day, not just the total number of hours.

What is the penalty if records are not kept?
Under the Croatian Labour Act, the penalty for a legal entity ranges from 8,090 to 13,270 euros, and for the responsible person from 920 to 1,320 euros. More in the article Penalties for improper working-hours records.

Can records be kept in Excel?
They can, but only if it meets all the requirements of the Ordinance. In practice, digital records created at the source are safer because they cannot be altered afterwards without leaving a trace. More in the article Why Excel is no longer enough.

Note: this text is informational and does not constitute legal advice. Source: Ordinance NN 55/2024 and the Croatian Labour Act (zakon.hr).