German Workers Already Log Long Hours as Ministry Proposes Weakening Daily Work Cap
22.06.2026 - 01:02:09 | boerse-global.de
A draft law from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, led by Minister Bärbel Bas (SPD), would allow collective bargaining partners to replace the traditional eight?hour daily limit with a weekly cap – as long as the annual average stays at 48 hours. The proposal, still in early stages before inter?ministerial coordination, was reported on 18 June 2026.
The eight?hour rule in Section 3 of the German Working Hours Act would formally survive, but the exceptions would be greatly expanded. Under the new text, a company agreement or tariff contract could set a maximum weekly working time instead of a daily one, provided health protections are maintained. The mandatory eleven?hour rest period could also be scrapped. In exchange, employers would have to record hours electronically on the same day they are worked.
The move lands at a moment when German workplaces are already stretched. A dossier published on 21 June by the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) shows that full?time employees average 43 hours per week, even though their contracts stipulate only 38.4 hours. Men are hit hardest: 58 percent log between 40 and 48 hours weekly, compared with 36 percent of women.
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BAuA experts warn that accident risk rises exponentially after the ninth hour of work. Employees who regularly put in 50 hours or more face heightened risks of burnout and increased alcohol consumption. In 2024, unpaid overtime in Germany reached 638 million hours, and 43 percent of workers already frequently exceed the eight?hour day.
Rest and recovery are also suffering. According to BAuA surveys, 16 percent of employees experience a shortened rest period of less than eleven hours at least once a month. 36 percent regularly skip breaks. The institute stresses that short pauses of up to 15 minutes are critical for preventing musculoskeletal disorders and that systematic time tracking is essential for effective risk analysis – a requirement already set by the European Court of Justice in 2019 and Germany’s Federal Labour Court in 2022.
The draft has drawn sharp political lines. CDU General Secretary Linnemann opposes it, particularly because of the so?tariff reservation, which restricts flexibility to union?negotiated deals. The employer association Gesamtmetall calls the plan a step backward. The DEHOGA Niedersachsen hospitality association complains that mandatory electronic recording would increase costs and bureaucracy.
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Trade unions warn of a creeping erosion of health protection. DGB chairwoman Yasmin Fahimi pointed out the dangers. The Marburger Bund doctors’ union explicitly rejected the proposal, noting that hospital physicians already average six overtime hours per week; the change could push individual shifts to 13 hours, threatening patient safety.
The dangers of fatigue are especially vivid in logistics. On the occasion of Drivers’ Fatigue Day on 21 June, the vida union released a study by the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF). It found that 60 percent of truck drivers and 66 percent of bus drivers report being chronically tired behind the wheel. The main causes: long working hours and insufficient rest opportunities. Unions are calling for stricter enforcement to combat wage dumping and for better roadside infrastructure – more parking, showers, and toilets – to make legally required rest periods humane.
