In the Civil Service, the base salary is often just the starting point. Between allowances and overtime, how much does the State actually end up paying every month? Listen to the new episode of Economia dia a dia, Expresso's daily podcast, hosted by Juliana Simões.
How do allowances and overtime make public-sector salaries skyrocket?
Friday, 2 January 2026RSS
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Context & Explainers
Overtime hours are work performed beyond an employee’s contracted schedule that is normally paid at a higher rate or compensated with time off. In the recent story about 30,000 teachers, many took on extra hours to cover staff shortages and keep classes running, which directly increases their pay but can also reflect workload and staffing problems in schools. As an expat working in Portugal, know that overtime rules depend on your contract and sector (public vs private) and must follow the national labour code.
