Working hours in Germany: rules and laws

If you work in Germany, you will certainly have noticed one thing: We Germans love structures, rules and laws. So it's no wonder that working hours are regulated down to the smallest detail. Here we have summarized the essentials about the Working Hours Act, break regulations and typical working hours in Germany! Especially if you are new to the country or are starting your working life for the first time, it is important to know what breaks you are legally entitled to and how long you are generally allowed to work. For more detailed information on specific jobs, such as working hours as a warehouse worker, it's worth taking a look at our more in-depth articles, which you can find on our website.

Generally speaking, the German law contains very detailed rules, such as the minimum break times. You can find a detailed overview in the official legal text - this article is also sufficient for a good overview! You might be thinking: "Why so complicated?" All the rules are there to protect employees - i.e. you and your health!

Legal regulation in Germany: The Working Hours Act

The Working Hours Act (ArbZG) regulates how long you are allowed to work, which rest periods must be observed and all special cases and exceptions. First things first: As a rule, the maximum working time is 8 hours per day! However, it is also possible to extend this to 10 hours per day, provided there is (time) compensation within six months. The maximum weekly working time is therefore (on average) 48 hours for full-time employees!

However, it is important to differentiate between full-time and part-time work and other time models: full-time employees generally work 35 to 40 hours per week, while part-time jobs are usually less than 30 hours per week. Working students are allowed to work a maximum of 20 hours per week, and mini-jobs are limited to an income of €538 per month (as of 2025 - before January 1, 2024 €450 or €520). 

There are also special regulations for night and Sunday work: if you work between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. the following day (or on Sundays in general), you are entitled to additional payments. To be precise, any (regular) shift that lasts two or more hours during this time counts as overtime.
Sunday work is also clearly regulated, as the German government wants to protect this day as a day off. For example, you must have at least 15 Sundays off a year!

What break regulations apply to my work?

It is very important for your health to take breaks, which is why breaks in the working day are regulated by law. According to the Working Hours Act, you are entitled to a break of at least 30 minutes if you work for more than 6 hours. For more than 9 hours, the entitlement increases to 45 minutes. So you must take a break of at least 30 minutes during a normal working day of 6 hours or more. 

However, the time during which you take a break from your work (work break) only counts as working time to a limited extent. Everything that the law prescribes - i.e. 30 minutes or 45 minutes - counts as working time, but if you take more breaks, you have to work longer. For example: you work for seven hours from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. without a break, but you are still entitled to 30 minutes break time. This means that your entire working day lasts until 4:30 pm! However, if you take a one-hour lunch break, your working day ends at 5 p.m. (with the exception of children and young people).

The break regulations that apply to your work now vary depending on the industry and company: in care or production, where shift work is common, breaks are often scheduled according to fixed plans. In office jobs, on the other hand, you can decide more flexibly when to take your breaks. Regardless of which sector you work in, breaks are required by law and are essential for your health.

Typical working hours in Germany with examples

In Germany, most people start their working day between 7:30 and 9:00 a.m., but typical working hours vary greatly depending on the industry. Here are a few examples:

• Office jobs: Mostly core working hours between 9 am and 5 pm with an hour lunch break. Many offices have a flexitime model, but colleagues usually adapt to each other - for example, in some offices you can start at 7 am, while in other companies the last meeting doesn't end until 7 pm. 
• Production in shifts: In industry, and especially in production, you will mainly work in shifts, e.g. early, late and night shifts, each lasting 8 hours. There are many possible shift models: 2-, 3-, 4- or even 5-shift systems all have their advantages and disadvantages. 
• Nursing: In order to guarantee round-the-clock care, most nursing staff work in shifts. Working hours can vary depending on the facility, but are often based on a 12-hour shift system (10 hours work + 2 hours statutory break). Models such as 7/7 or on-call duty are also possible here. 
• Gastronomy: There are often irregular working hours here, which are based on opening times. This means that you usually work when everyone else wants to eat or go out in the evening. Please note: in this sector in particular, it is often the case that break times are not (or cannot be) adhered to!

For part-time jobs, as described in our article on well-paid part-time jobs, working hours are often flexible and adapted to availability. In general, special regulations apply to mini-jobs, as you can receive a maximum monthly wage of €538 (previously €400 or €520). 

Working hours, job search and starting a career in Germany

If you are new to Germany or just starting out in the world of work, the working hours and break regulations can be unfamiliar at first - especially as they vary depending on the profession. For more information on everyday working life in Germany, WorkerHero is the right platform for you! 

Our articles will teach you everything you need to successfully launch your career in Germany: How to write a CV, find jobs in Germany and get on well with difficult bosses! Whether you want to get started in a specific field after school or training or are a career changer looking for a job without training, WorkerHero is the perfect platform to find a job that suits your needs.

Whether you're looking for blue- or grey-collar jobs or you're not yet fluent in German - you'll find what you're looking for here. Our articles, like this one, will help you adapt to the world of work in Germany. Check back regularly and get off to a successful start!