Night shift bonus for healthcare workers: what you need to know
16 January 2026 · 5 min reading time
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See job offersThe night shift bonus for healthcare workers is one of the pay components that raises the most questions among health professionals. In this article, we clarify the key reference points: from what time the night bonus applies, how it is calculated across the main frameworks, and which combinations are possible. The aim is to help you quickly understand what you are entitled to receive and to check, without ambiguity, that your night bonus is correctly reflected on your payslip.
Night shift bonus for healthcare workers: definition and differences between institutions
The night shift bonus refers to the compensation granted when a healthcare professional works during hours considered as night work. In practice, this term covers several realities: in some institutions, it takes the form of an hourly allowance paid for each night hour; elsewhere, it is a percentage increase applied to the salary; or a points-based or flat-rate system depending on the collective agreement. This is why there is no “standard” amount applicable to all healthcare workers: the rule depends on the sector (public hospital, private clinic, nursing home, non-profit organization) and on the applicable text (decree, collective agreement, or company-level agreement).
Time slots: when does “night” begin?
There is no universal definition. The night period depends on your contract or your institution:
The standard period (9:00 p.m. - 6:00 a.m.): applied in public service and in most institutions.
The extended period (e.g. 7:00 p.m. - 7:00 a.m. or 8:00 p.m. - 8:00 a.m.): common in certain private-sector collective agreements (CCN 51).
What this changes in practice on the payslip
Two people working the same shift length may therefore be compensated differently if one is on a 9:00 p.m. - 6:00 a.m. schedule and the other on a 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 a.m. schedule, or if the bonus is triggered only after a minimum number of hours. Before disputing an amount, the correct approach is to compare the number of hours actually falling within the defined night period and to check how they are recorded on the payslip (night hours, increase, allowance, points).
What is the amount of the night shift bonus for healthcare workers?
Amount in the public hospital service (FPH)
In public hospitals, the night shift bonus takes the form of an hourly allowance. It is calculated based on the gross indexed salary (and, where applicable, the residence allowance). Since 2024, the principle has been to pay 25% of a reference hourly rate obtained by annualizing this base and dividing it by 1,820. As a result, the hourly amount varies according to the pay grade, but the calculation logic remains the same for all eligible staff.
Amount in the private sector and in temporary agency work
In the private sector, there is no single national amount. Depending on the institution, the night bonus may take the form of a percentage increase of the hourly wage, a fixed hourly allowance, or a flat-rate payment per night. In temporary agency work, the principle is generally aligned with the rules applied in the institution where the assignment takes place: if a night bonus is provided for the position, it must be included in the assignment’s pay and clearly shown on the payslip.
How is the night shift bonus calculated?
Calculation examples based on the hourly rate
In the private sector, when the bonus is expressed as a percentage, the calculation is usually the most straightforward: a percentage is applied to the hourly wage for each hour counted as a “night hour”. For example, if your agreement provides for a 15% increase and your hourly rate is €14, each night hour entitles you to an additional €2.10 (14 × 15%). If you have 10 hours counted within the night period, the night-related compensation will be around €21 for the shift concerned (excluding other pay elements).
Difference between a percentage increase and a flat-rate allowance
A percentage increase raises the wage on the hours concerned (it is a percentage applied to an hourly base), whereas an allowance is a separate amount shown as a distinct line on the payslip (per hour, per night, or in points). The result may appear similar, but the payslip reading is not the same: with a percentage increase, everything depends on the hourly rate; with a flat-rate allowance, the amount mainly depends on the rules set out in the applicable text (and, for points-based systems, on the value of the point). This is precisely why two institutions may refer to a “night bonus” without meaning the same thing.
How to calculate the night shift bonus in the public hospital service?
Let’s take a simple example to illustrate this calculation. If your gross indexed salary is €2,100 per month (excluding the residence allowance for simplicity), the annual base is €2,100 × 12 = €25,200. The reference hourly rate is therefore €25,200 ÷ 1,820 ≈ €13.85. The night shift bonus represents 25% of this rate, or approximately €3.46 per night hour. If your shift includes 9 hours within the 9:00 p.m. - 6:00 a.m. period, the night allowance will be around €31 for that night (before rounding and depending on your exact situation).
Sunday and public holiday bonuses: what you need to know
There is no “universal” increase applicable to all healthcare workers. In the public hospital service, working on a Sunday or a public holiday entitles staff to a dedicated flat-rate allowance, set at €60 for 8 hours of effective work since 1 January 2024, paid on a pro-rata basis if the working time differs. In the private sector, compensation depends on the collective agreement or a company-level agreement. For example, under CCN 51 (FEHAP), the Sunday/public holiday allowance is expressed in points (12.32 points for 8 hours, or 1.54 points per hour or fraction of an hour), which explains why the euro amount varies depending on the value of the point applied.
Can the night shift bonus be combined with Sunday/public holiday compensation?
Some practical examples:
In most cases, yes. A single shift may give rise to two different compensations, because they do not remunerate the same constraint. If you work a night shift that falls on a Sunday (for example, 9:00 p.m. - 6:00 a.m.), you may receive night compensation for the night hours, in addition to Sunday compensation linked to working on that day. This is the most common scenario in practice, provided that the applicable text allows it and that both items appear on the payslip.
However, a common shortcut should be avoided: “Sunday + public holiday = double payment”. When a public holiday falls on a Sunday, some texts provide for a non-cumulation rule: compensation is not automatically doubled simply because the calendar coincides. This is typically the kind of point that varies depending on the sector and the collective agreement and must therefore be checked in the applicable text for your institution.
Finally, attention should be paid to “overlapping” shifts. If your shift starts before the beginning of the night period (e.g. 7:00 p.m. - 7:00 a.m.), the night bonus will apply only to the hours actually counted as night work under your institution’s rules. This is a frequent source of discrepancy: you do receive Sunday or public holiday compensation for the shift, but the night compensation does not apply to all hours worked.
Compensatory rest: a right not to be overlooked
Working at night is not only a question of pay. Depending on the sector and the agreements in force, it may also give rise to compensatory rest. In the private sector, the principle is that night work must be compensated, notably through compensatory rest, and not solely through additional pay. In healthcare, where night shifts may sometimes follow one another over several weeks, this rest plays a key role in limiting the accumulation of fatigue and preserving the balance between professional demands and recovery.
In practice, compensatory rest is often less “visible” than a bonus line on the payslip, which explains why it is sometimes misunderstood or underused. The right reflex is to check how it is provided for in your institution (working time agreement, collective agreement, internal guidelines), in what form it is granted (days or hours), and within what timeframe it must be taken.
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