Working Hours Act

The Working Hours Act (ArbZG) sets the legal framework for the daily and weekly working hours of employees in Germany. It serves to protect the health of employees and requires that daily working hours must generally not exceed eight hours. Under certain conditions, working hours can be extended to up to ten hours if compensation is made within six months. The law also regulates rest periods: After daily work has ended, at least eleven hours of uninterrupted rest must be maintained. Special regulations apply to special forms of work, such as night work or shift work, which ensure that health protection is also guaranteed here.

Work is generally prohibited on Sundays and public holidays, with some exceptions for certain industries, such as catering or the public sector. Here, too, clear guidelines are set to ensure that the rest on Sundays and public holidays is maintained.

In some cases, the law allows deviations, for example through collective agreement regulations or in special areas of work such as road transport or animal care. Companies must also comply with the obligation to record working hours in order to correctly document the hours worked.

With these provisions, the Working Hours Act contributes to the reconciliation of work and private life and ensures that employees are not overburdened by excessive working hours or lack of breaks.