Moving from a daily limit to a weekly working time is a topic the German government wants to address in the Working Hours Act (Arbeitszeitgesetz). Today, the daily maximum from section 3 ArbZG still applies. This guide explains what currently applies, what the draft of the Federal Ministry of Labour reportedly contains and what that could mean for people starting their careers.
Short answer: Under current law, working time on a working day may not exceed eight hours (section 3 ArbZG, last amended on 23 October 2024). According to a briefing by a law firm dated 25 June 2026, a draft from the Federal Ministry of Labour (Referentenentwurf) proposes a weekly limit. The sources checked do not confirm that the law has been passed. The information on the draft reflects the position as of 25 June 2026 and comes from a secondary source. The procedure may have changed since then; the Federal Ministry of Labour and the Bundestag documentation system give the current status. Last updated: November 2026.
The most important points in brief
- The current rule is a daily maximum of eight hours, with a possibility to balance longer days over time.
- According to the briefing, the draft would move towards a weekly view, with deviations mainly possible through collective agreements.
- A weekly maximum of 48 hours would, according to the same source, essentially be available only to companies bound by a collective agreement.
- In June 2026 the draft was still being coordinated, according to that source. No cabinet or Bundestag decision is mentioned there.
- Your contract and, where applicable, a collective agreement currently determine your hours, not the draft.
What currently applies under section 3 ArbZG?
The Working Hours Act limits the daily working time. Under section 3 ArbZG, the working time of employees on working days may not exceed eight hours. It can be extended to up to ten hours if, on average over a set balancing period, eight hours per working day are not exceeded. That balancing period is six calendar months or 24 weeks.
This applies regardless of whether your employer calls the extra time overtime. If you regularly work longer hours, keep a record of your working time, so that questions about the balancing can be settled later.
What does the draft propose, according to the sources?
According to a briefing by a law firm dated 25 June 2026, deviations from the eight-hour day should only be possible through a collective agreement or company or service agreements based on one. A weekly maximum of 48 hours is said to be available, in essence, only to companies that are bound by a collective agreement. The source does not comment on rest periods.
This is not a statement about the final wording. A draft can change during coordination, and the briefing refers to an updated version that, according to the firm, was leaked. The binding text is the law as passed and published in the Federal Law Gazette (Bundesgesetzblatt).
How do today’s rule and the draft compare?
| Rule | Current law (section 3 ArbZG) | Draft according to the briefing |
|---|---|---|
| Daily maximum | 8 hours, extendable to 10 hours with balancing | Deviations from the eight-hour day only through a collective agreement or an agreement based on it |
| Balancing period | 6 calendar months or 24 weeks | Not stated in the source |
| Weekly view | Balancing over the period set in section 3 | Weekly maximum of 48 hours, essentially for collectively bound companies |
| Rest periods | Separate rules in the Act | Not covered by the source |
The table reflects only what the briefing reports. The final law will be decisive, so check the wording once it is passed.
Rest periods are a separate topic under the current Act. How the draft would change them cannot be read from the briefing.
What does this mean for people starting their careers?
Whether a weekly rule matters to you depends largely on whether your employer is bound by a collective agreement. A law changes the statutory limit, but it does not automatically change your employment contract. If you start in a sector with a collective agreement, check which working time rules apply there.
Working time also plays a role in pay negotiations. If you work more hours, compare your salary with the hours you actually work. Useful background is in the guide on pay transparency (in German).
Which questions remain open?
Based on the sources reviewed, several points are not yet settled. Follow these questions once a legal text is available:
- How are rest periods and breaks regulated if a weekly view applies?
- From when would a new rule apply, and are there transitional periods?
- How is working time recorded, and who checks compliance?
- What does extra work mean for pay in individual cases?
How can you check your working time today?
Independent of any reform, a few simple steps help you understand your working time. Go through them when you sign a contract.
- Check your employment contract for weekly hours and how extra work is balanced.
- Find out whether a collective agreement applies that regulates hours, breaks or balancing periods.
- Record your actual working time for a few weeks before you discuss balancing with your employer.
- If anything is unclear, ask the works council or HR how time recording works.
Anyone who plans a move into a new job should also keep the wider picture in mind. Working time rules interact with the contract, the collective agreement and the works agreement, so a single law rarely settles everything on its own. Ask which of these documents governs your role before you accept an offer.
Frequently asked questions
Is the eight-hour day already gone?
No. According to the sources reviewed, section 3 ArbZG with its daily maximum of eight hours still applies. Extensions to ten hours are only allowed with a balancing. A change would only take effect with a law that has been passed.
Has the weekly working time reform already been passed?
According to the briefing dated 25 June 2026, it was a draft under coordination. The source does not mention a cabinet or Bundestag decision. Check the Federal Ministry of Labour for the current status.
Can my employer require 13-hour days in future?
The sources checked do not allow that conclusion. Under current law, longer days are only possible with a balancing. The draft, according to the briefing, mainly allows deviations through collective agreements. Whether and how this appears in the final law can only be read from the text.
What changes for mini-jobs or working students?
The sources checked contain no reliable information on that point. If you work alongside your studies, keep an eye on your own hours. For side jobs, see the guide on part-time work and taxes (in German).
Related guides
- Applying for your first job: timeline from advert to contract (in German)
- Pay transparency: when you can request a comparison salary (in German)
- Termination agreement: blocking period and severance (in German)
- Reading a work reference: what the phrases really mean (in German)
- Health insurance when starting work (in German)
Sources: Working Hours Act, section 3 ArbZG (gesetze-im-internet.de, last amended by Art. 52 of the Act of 23 October 2024, in German); Law firm briefing on the working time reform, 25 June 2026 (secondary source on status, in German).
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
