Working hours – how many hours are you allowed to work?

You are not allowed to work more than 8 hours a day. There are exceptions where you are allowed to work up to 10 hours a day. However, you must not exceed an average daily working time of 8 hours over 6 months.

You must not work more than 48 hours in a week (maximum working time). Even if you have several jobs, your total number of working hours must not exceed 48 hours.

There must be a rest period of 11 hours between your working days (during which you are not allowed to work). If you work shifts, you must ensure that you adhere to the rest period. If you work in the care sector, agriculture, catering/hotel or transport companies, for example, the rest period between your working hours may be shorter. The missing rest time must always be made up for.

Your working hours are set out in your employment contract. It states whether and how much overtime you can work. This information might also be found in collective agreements or company agreements. If you are unsure about how your overtime is regulated, you should speak to your employer.

You should know whether you will be paid for overtime or receive the time off: For example, you work 2 hours overtime and are allowed to leave 2 hours earlier on another day (time off in lieu). It can also be agreed that you will be paid for overtime. Your employer is not allowed to order you to work overtime just like that – your working hours and overtime are regulated by law. He or she must comply with the law.

To document your working hours, it is important that you write down your hours precisely. Then you can prove how long you have worked.