Standard hours in Germany
Monday to Saturday are considered the legal working days, but most employees typically work from Monday to Friday.
Workdays usually start between8-9 amand finish between5-6 pm. Lunch breaks are 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Maximum Working Hours & Overtime Laws in Germany
Working hours should not exceed 8 hours daily. They can be extended to 10 hours daily as long as the weekly hours are not more than 48.
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Overtime compensation
Germany does not have regulations on overtime compensation that entitles employees to overtime pay. If there are no other employment contract provisions, overtime has to be compensated with the regular salary.
The employment contract can state that a certain amount of overtime (up to 15% of the regular working time) is compensated with the regular monthly salary. In this case, employers only have to pay overtime above this amount. If the compensation exceeds the contribution ceiling in the pension insurance, the entire overtime may be compensated by the regular monthly salary, which should be indicated on the contract.
Sunday working
Working on Sundays or public holidays is generally prohibited, with a few exceptions. If an employee does work, the employer must compensate the employee with corresponding time off within the following two weeks for working on Sunday or eight weeks for working during a public holiday.
Break rights
The employer must guarantee an uninterrupted rest period of at least 11 hours between workdays.
Shifts that are between 6-9 hours come with one 30-minute break or two 15-minute breaks. There should be a minimum 45-minute break after the first six hours for shifts longer than nine hours.
The working hours of pregnant women or nursing mothers, as well as employees or trainees under 18 years of age, cannot be extended beyond eight hours.
Night workers
Night work is only allowed for 8 hours per working day. It can be increased to 10 hours, provided the employee's average shift duration in the following month doesn't exceed eight hours. The employer must grant the night worker an appropriate number of paid days off for hours worked during the night time or a suitable supplement to their salary to which they are entitled.
Employee Time Tracking Obligations
From 2023, employers are obliged to record the beginning and end of an employee's daily working hours.It is no longer sufficient to provide a system merely as an option. The employer must verify that the employee actually records their working hours. While mandatory, the form in which it takes place isn't specified and could happen both digitally or manually. According to the Federal Labor Court that will depend on the circ*mstances of the individual case, such as the industry, the size of the company, the specific employee group, etc.
Penalties
Employers may be fined up to€15,000if they are not complying with working time documentation. However, such fines are very rare. German authorities rarely verify compliance.
As for the new ECJ ruling, it remains to be seen whether further and stricter sanctions will be imposed in the future if employers do not introduce a working time recording system.
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FAQs
In Germany, the standard workweek is typically five days, Monday through Friday. Most full-time employees work between 36 and 40 hours per week, spread over five days. The usual working hours are 9 am to 5 pm or 8 am to 4 pm, which can vary depending on the company and industry.
Is it legal to work 12 hours a day in Germany? ›
Minimum and maximum working time
The maximum daily amount of working time must not exceed ten hours. However, the law stipulates that the working hours on business days (Monday until Saturday) must not exceed an average of eight working hours per day, ie 48 hours per week, over a period of six months or 24 weeks.
Can I work 50 hours a week in Germany? ›
According to the Hours of Work Act, work time is legally limited to eight hours a day and six days a week, for a weekly maximum of 48 hours.
What happens if I work more than 48 hours in Germany? ›
Working overtime in Germany
Overtime work must also conform to the maximum working hours specified above (i.e. no more than 60 hours a week, averaging out to 48 hours over a 6-month period). Overtime will usually be compensated with time off in lieu, although some companies will pay for any overtime hours worked.
Does 40 hours include lunch in Germany? ›
An average working week in Germany as a full-time employee is between 36 and 40 hours, with working days in Germany being 7 to 8 hours. Most people start between 8-9 AM and finish by 5-6 PM, enjoying a 30 minute lunch break in between. A full-time employee in Germany has an average working week of 40.2 hours.
Why do Germans work fewer hours but produce more? ›
ANSWER: When are German is at work they are focused and diligent , which in turn leads to higher productivity in a short period of time. EXPLANATION: an American would say it would be great if I could get this word done by 3:00 p.m. where as a German would say I need this by 3:00 p.m.
Is it illegal to work on Sunday in Germany? ›
Working on Sundays or public holidays is generally prohibited, with a few exceptions. If an employee does work, the employer must compensate the employee with corresponding time off within the following two weeks for working on Sunday or eight weeks for working during a public holiday.
What are quiet hours in Germany? ›
The commonly agreed upon quiet hours in Germany (Ruhezeit time period) are from 10pm and 6 or 7am on weekdays and the entire day on Sundays, although there can be some exceptions in different cities or if your landlord imposes other rules as well. Ruhezeit also applies to all public holidays for the entire day.
What is the average salary in Germany? ›
According to the Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), the average gross annual salary in April 2022 was €49,260 (around ₹44.6 lakh). Net Salary: This is your take-home pay after deductions. Net salary can vary depending on your tax bracket and contributions, but it's generally around half the gross salary.
How much is Sunday paid in Germany? ›
Overtime
| Overtime | No time off in lieu (TOIL) taken for overtime hours |
|---|
| Weekday OT | 125% = 100% (hourly rate) + 25% overtime supplement for additional hours. A 30% supplement is paid from the 6th hour. |
| Sunday OT | 175% = 100% (hourly rate) + 25% overtime supplement + 50% Sunday supplement for the additional hours. |
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Germany's minimum wage is €12.41 per hour, pre-tax since 1 January 2024. The legislation (German: Gesetz zur Regelung eines allgemeinen Mindestlohns) was introduced on January 1, 2015, by Angela Merkel's third government, a coalition between the SPD and the CDU.
How is overtime paid in Germany? ›
Here are examples of overtime pay rates in Germany: For weekday overtime, 125% = 100% of the regular hourly rate + 25% overtime supplement for overtime hours. For Sunday overtime, 175% = 100% of the regular hourly rate + 25% overtime supplement + 50% Sunday supplement for overtime hours.
What is the work rule in Germany? ›
If you work between 6 to 9 hours a day, you are entitled to a 30-minute break after no later than 6 hours. If you work more than 9 hours a day, the break is extended to 45 minutes. Labour law prohibits taking the break at the end of the day's work in order to leave earlier.
Can I reduce my working hours in Germany? ›
You may request a reduction of your work hours without having to give a specific reason. You merely need to submit your request in writing – an email will do – no later than three months before the desired start of your part-time arrangement.
What country has the shortest work week? ›
Globally, the average work week is closer to 40 hours. At one extreme, Bhutan holds the record for the longest work week globally, at 54.4 hours per week, according to the ILO. While at the other, workers in the Pacific island nation of Kiribati enjoy the shortest work week at just 27.2 hours.
What are full day hours in Germany? ›
Standard hours in Germany
Monday to Saturday are considered the legal working days, but most employees typically work from Monday to Friday. Workdays usually start between 8-9 am and finish between 5-6 pm.
Is there a 4 day work week in Germany? ›
Factually, there is still no widespread 4 day work week in Germany, or a right to it. Currently, 45 German companies are trialing a 4 day work week as part of 4 Day Week Global's national partner program.
How many hours is a full-time job in Germany? ›
A full-time job in Germany usually comprises between 35 and 40 hours each week. You may not work more than 48 hours each week ac- cording to the German Working Hours Act.
What is the average German salary? ›
In April 2022, the average salary of full-time employees in Germany amounted to €24.77 per hour, €4,105 monthly, or €49,260 per year. This is much higher than in much of the rest of Europe. In fact, Germany had the seventh-highest salary in the European Union in 2021.
