Working Hours in Germany [2024] - Navigate Germany

Germans are keen on having ideal working hours, so they achieve an outstanding work-life balance compared to European countries. Working hours in Germany are 37 hours per week compared to the EU countries. Every business or company must understand the labor laws and implement those labor regulations regarding working hours in their organization. German is perfect and simple, and everyone loves to work in German organizations due to their equality mindset. 

Working Hours for a Full-Time Job

Germany’s most common working hours are 36 to 40 hours, which means 7 or 8 hours per day and 5 days per week. This includes a one-hour or 30-minute break for lunch or tea. You might find companies with longer working hours, but they compensate for this with a high salary or more vacations. The working hours for a self-employed are usually more than 48 hours per week.

Working Hours for a Part-Time Job

The working hours for a part-time job are less than 30 hours per week. You can request to reduce your weekly working hours after six months of employment in an organization. Freelancing, job sharing, and part-time jobs are becoming popular daily because of the benefits linked to such working scenarios.

Legal Restrictions on Working Hours in Germany

Germany has strict laws regarding working hours. No employee is allowed to work more than 8 hours per day. Here are some rules;

• Normal working hours are not more than 48 hours per week.
• Extended working hours are 10 hours per day if the working time does not exceed 8 hours per day during 6 months.
• No working is allowed on Sundays and public holidays except in service sectors. If there is some exception, an employee working on Sunday or public holiday gets a time off.

If you are new and think you are mistreated, you must have legal insurance in germany, so you can quickly consult a lawyer and get legal advice on any matter. 

Work-Related Break

In Germany, it is not allowed to work for more than 6 hours without any break. Break duration varies according to the scenarios mentioned;

• If working hours are between 6 and 9 hours, there must be a 30-minute break or two 15-minute breaks.
• If working hours are more than 9 hours, the break must be 45-min or divided into segments. 
• 11 hours of rest is compulsory after finishing the daily job.
• Smoke breaks are not permitted in Germany. Workers can use their standard break time for cigars.

Overtime Regulations

German labor laws do not cover overtime, but if there is no additional employment contract, it can be compensated with a monthly salary. Overtime of 15% of normal working hours can be paid with regular wages if it does not surpass the stated threshold. If your job requires overtime, it must be included in your employment contract. If your company does not pay overtime, you can take vacations to compensate for your overtime. 

Final Words

Working hours vary from company to company and job to job. They depend on the position, job nature, organization, salary, and other factors. The average working week is between 38 and 48 hours. Whenever you are employed by an employer in any organization, you must discuss everything in advance and read your employment agreement before joining your job.