Up to 13 Hours per Day: Germany's Bold Rewrite of Work-Time Rules Faces Union Backlash
15.06.2026 - 07:44:07 | boerse-global.de
Coalition negotiators in Berlin are closing in on a shake-up of Germany’s working-time law that would allow employees to clock up to 13 hours on a single shift — as long as the weekly total stays under 40 hours. The proposal, expected to be submitted to parliament by Bundestag President Bärbel Bas, marks the biggest change to the country’s Arbeitszeitgesetz in decades and has already opened a deep rift between business groups and labour unions.
The core of the reform is a shift from a daily to a weekly ceiling on working hours. Currently, the law permits eight hours per day, with exceptions up to ten. Under the planned rules, workers could in certain circumstances work 13 hours in one day, provided the 40-hour week is not breached. A mandatory digital time-recording system would track all hours worked, a move the government says will improve transparency and worker protection.
Union leaders are fiercely opposed. They argue that scrapping the eight-hour day standard — even conditionally — erodes a hard-won safeguard. “The eleven-hour rest period between shifts must remain untouchable,” said SPD labour-market politician Jan Dieren, insisting that the reform must keep worker protection at its centre. The Greens, while open to more flexible models, have publicly stated they want to keep the daily eight-hour limit intact. The Left party rejects any loosening of daily maximums, and the AfD sees no pressing need for change.
As German lawmakers grapple with how to balance flexibility and worker protection, UK employers face their own compliance landscape. Many British companies risk significant fines simply because they lack essential health and safety documents. A free Health & Safety Toolkit provides ready-to-use risk assessments, checklists, and templates aligned with UK regulations — trusted by over 37,000 businesses. Download your free Health & Safety Toolkit now
On the other side, employer associations have welcomed the flexibility. CDU parliamentary leader Jens Spahn pressed the SPD on 14 June to finally deliver on the agreement, arguing that “more flexibility for the economy is necessary.” SPD parliamentary whip Dirk Wiese expressed confidence that a deal can be reached with the Union, noting that the negotiations are progressing.
The decisive moment comes on 1 July, when the coalition committee is scheduled to meet and hammer out the final details. At that session, the partners are expected to seal their agreement with the Union, setting the legislative process in motion. The EU Working Time Directive remains the overarching legal framework, and Berlin insists the reform will stay within its boundaries.
For now, the reform hangs in the balance between business demands for adaptability and union calls to preserve the eight-hour standard. The July committee session will determine whether Germany moves toward a more permissive model — or whether the political fault lines prove too wide.
