German Lawmakers Push for Binding Heat Rules as Summer Spike Prompts Urgent Workplace Reforms

With forecasts of 41°C, Germany debates mandatory heat-protection plans. Current rules require employer action at 26°C, 30°C, 35°C but no blanket right to leave work.

Germany’s political establishment stepped up pressure for enforceable heat-protection standards at work on the same day the country’s weather service forecast highs of 41°C. On 25 June, the Bundestag debated multiple motions on the issue and referred them to the relevant committees. The Greens are calling for a mandatory heat-protection plan paired with a programme for climate-adapted urban development, while the Left Party is advocating formal “heat-free” rules for outdoor work and a climate-related short-time working allowance.

The legal framework that currently governs thermal conditions inside offices and factories is the Workplace Ordinance (Arbeitsstättenverordnung, ArbStättV), read together with the technical rule ASR A3.5. That rule does not create a blanket entitlement to leave the workplace when temperatures rise: employees cannot simply walk off the job without risking labour-law consequences, unless an immediate health hazard exists. Instead, it imposes graduated obligations on employers.

At room temperatures below 26°C, no specific measures are required. When the thermometer exceeds 26°C, the employer should start reviewing options such as sun protection or improved ventilation. Above 30°C, effective steps become mandatory: providing drinking water, relaxing dress codes or introducing staggered shift times are typical responses. At the 35°C mark, the workplace is considered unsuitable unless targeted protections – for instance, scheduled cooling breaks – are in place. For outdoor positions, a mandatory risk assessment applies.

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Behind the political urgency lies a stark statistic: Germany recorded more than 90,000 sick-leave days attributable to heat exposure, a record high. The European Trade Union Confederation (EGB) is pushing for continent-wide standards, including paid cooling rests analogous to the drink breaks granted at major sporting events. The EGB estimates that the risk of heat-related workplace accidents rises by seven percent when temperatures climb above 30°C and by 15 percent beyond 38°C.

Several large companies are already adapting. At Fraport, roughly 6,000 workers at Frankfurt Airport receive UV-protective clothing and have access to mobile beverage carts, while personnel in high-stress zones are rotated. Volkswagen’s Baunatal plant, which employs about 12,000 people, provides electrolysis powder, permits shower breaks and offers flexible scheduling. DHL Group equips its delivery staff with long-sleeved protective gear, caps and sunscreen.

Not every proposed remedy finds unanimous support, however. The IG Metall trade union warns against using fans in open-plan offices, because the resulting draughts and stirred-up pollen can trigger allergies. The union instead recommends consistent shading and vigorous overnight ventilation.

Separately, schools are seeing new rules. In North Rhine-Westphalia, the education ministry has extended heat-related flexibility to upper-secondary grades 11 through 13 until the end of July 2026. School principals may decide on shortened lessons or afternoon cancellations once indoor temperatures reach 27°C – a threshold that is often crossed easily, with classroom readings of up to 40°C recorded in recent years.