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My employer isn't paying overtime — what to do

The minimum premiums under Art. 262 LC are mandatory and cannot be reduced by agreement. Here's how to collect evidence and protect your money.

In short: +50% on working days, +75% on rest days, +100% on holidays (Art. 262 LC). Limitation for claims — 3 years. The General Labor Inspectorate works with written evidence, so start collecting it immediately.

Step 1. Document everything

Preserve:

  • Work orders and instructions for overtime (emails, Slack/Teams, SMS);
  • Schedules with actual hours worked;
  • Login/logout records from work systems (you can request these from IT);
  • Travel tickets for business trips confirming out-of-schedule presence;
  • Witnesses (colleagues who can confirm).

Build a table of dates and hours — you will need it both for the Inspectorate and the court.

Step 2. Request a written explanation

Send a short email (keep a copy) requesting a calculation breakdown of your overtime hours over the last 12 months. This has two effects:

  • Gives the employer a chance to fix the issue voluntarily (sometimes it is an accounting error);
  • If they don't respond — the refusal becomes evidence in itself before the Inspectorate and the court.

Step 3. Report to ИА ГИТ

You can file a report online at gli.government.bg. Options:

  • With your name — stronger, but risks workplace tension;
  • Anonymously — the Inspectorate must still investigate, but cannot inform you of the result.

Inspectors can demand documentation from the employer, conduct an inspection and impose a fine of BGN 1,500–15,000.

Step 4. Sue in the district court

If the employer does not pay voluntarily and the Inspectorate does not solve it (or you specifically want your money rather than a fine on the employer), file a claim:

  • Deadline: 3 years from the day the claim became due;
  • Court fee: 4% of the claim value, but not less than BGN 50;
  • If the claim succeeds: costs are borne by the employer.

Calculate the amounts owed with the overtime calculator.

Step 5. Report to the NRA for social insurance

Unpaid social insurance on overtime hours is a separate violation. The NRA can impose a fine and require payment of the missing contributions with interest.

Can I be dismissed for this?

Dismissal as retaliation for an Inspectorate report or court claim is prohibited discrimination and retaliation. If it happens, it is unlawful and can be challenged within 2 months (Art. 358 LC). In practice, however, the situation can become tense — weigh the size of the amounts and how long you intend to remain at the employer.

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