Working hours How many hours are allowed?
Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2025 7:23 am
In Germany, the number of hours employees are allowed to work is regulated by the Working Hours Act. This also stipulates that companies must keep track of their employees' working hours by recording their time.
The following article explains in detail how the regulations regarding permitted working hours are structured.
The Working Hours Act – The Regulations
The maximum working time on working days is eight hours, although according to the law Saturday is also considered a working day. The maximum weekly working time is therefore eight hours on six days, i.e. 48 hours.
It is also possible to extend the maximum working time per day to ten hours, but this must then be compensated for by a maximum working time of an average of 48 hours per week within 24 weeks.
For example, employees who work ten hours a day in one week due to an exceptionally high workload have worked 60 hours a week on working days. This is only permissible if the 12 hours of overtime are compensated within the 24-week period.
Within the framework of a works agreement, the works council can be granted co-determination over the length of the working day.
The exceptions to the Working Hours Act
However, it is possible to make exceptions to the rule within a limited framework. These can be defined either by the supervisory authority or by a collective agreement. They can be found under paragraph seven of the Working Hours Act.
If a works agreement is based on a collective agreement or if a corresponding agreement switzerland gambling data is included in the agreement, it is possible to extend working hours to ten hours if on-call duty or a significant amount of availability to work is required at regular intervals. In this case, it is also possible to extend the period of 24 weeks to compensate for this, up to a maximum of one year.
Without time off, the working hours per day can be extended to more than eight hours if there is a significant amount of on-call duty or availability to work at regular intervals. However, employees must first agree voluntarily and in writing to an additional contract. Consent can be revoked in writing at any time with a six-month notice period. It must also be ensured that the health of employees is not at risk at any time.
Employees in public religious communities, the public service, the care and support of people, treatment and agriculture are affected by further collectively agreed opening clauses.
Regulations from non-union companies can be adopted from the collective agreements that would actually affect them if they were bound by a collective agreement. However, the entire collective agreement's working time regulations must then be adopted.
It is also necessary to conclude a service or works agreement with the staff or works council. If there is no staff or works council, a written agreement must be signed by both parties. Such deviations can also be provided for in the regulations of public religious communities and churches.
The following article explains in detail how the regulations regarding permitted working hours are structured.
The Working Hours Act – The Regulations
The maximum working time on working days is eight hours, although according to the law Saturday is also considered a working day. The maximum weekly working time is therefore eight hours on six days, i.e. 48 hours.
It is also possible to extend the maximum working time per day to ten hours, but this must then be compensated for by a maximum working time of an average of 48 hours per week within 24 weeks.
For example, employees who work ten hours a day in one week due to an exceptionally high workload have worked 60 hours a week on working days. This is only permissible if the 12 hours of overtime are compensated within the 24-week period.
Within the framework of a works agreement, the works council can be granted co-determination over the length of the working day.
The exceptions to the Working Hours Act
However, it is possible to make exceptions to the rule within a limited framework. These can be defined either by the supervisory authority or by a collective agreement. They can be found under paragraph seven of the Working Hours Act.
If a works agreement is based on a collective agreement or if a corresponding agreement switzerland gambling data is included in the agreement, it is possible to extend working hours to ten hours if on-call duty or a significant amount of availability to work is required at regular intervals. In this case, it is also possible to extend the period of 24 weeks to compensate for this, up to a maximum of one year.
Without time off, the working hours per day can be extended to more than eight hours if there is a significant amount of on-call duty or availability to work at regular intervals. However, employees must first agree voluntarily and in writing to an additional contract. Consent can be revoked in writing at any time with a six-month notice period. It must also be ensured that the health of employees is not at risk at any time.
Employees in public religious communities, the public service, the care and support of people, treatment and agriculture are affected by further collectively agreed opening clauses.
Regulations from non-union companies can be adopted from the collective agreements that would actually affect them if they were bound by a collective agreement. However, the entire collective agreement's working time regulations must then be adopted.
It is also necessary to conclude a service or works agreement with the staff or works council. If there is no staff or works council, a written agreement must be signed by both parties. Such deviations can also be provided for in the regulations of public religious communities and churches.