Working hours & days in Germany.

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What are the standard working hours in Germany?

Standard working hours in Germany is 9am – 5pm.

What are the standard working days in Germany?

Standard working days in Germany is Monday – Friday. It is customary to give Friday afternoon either totally off, or relaxed. Saturday and Sunday are considered the weekend in Germany and are not typical working days.

How many hours can you work per week in Germany?

Full time employees will usually work 40 hours per week during a normal week in Germany.

How many hours is part-time work in Germany?

In Germany, part-time work is anything up to 20 hours per week.

How many hours is overtime in Germany?

In Germany, work beyond 40 hours a week is considered overtime work.

Is it illegal to work on the weekend in Germany?

No, however it is standard practice to offer Saturday and Sunday as days off. In Germany, Sunday is customary as a day of no work especially.

Does Germany have a four-day work?

Some companies are beginning to offer this to their employees, however it is not the standard yet.

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Hiring in Germany, Made Easy

Your business can easily hire employees in Germany without opening a local entity. We handle local employment law, complex tax regulations, and international payroll in 180+ countries worldwide. All you need to do is focus on your business.

FAQs

Is there a maximum amount of overtime annually in Germany?

Yes, in Germany there is a maximum amount of overtime weekly. Typically, it is not allowed to work more than 60 hours a week.

What is the rate for overtime pay in Germany?

The overtime pay rate generally varies and is laid out in the employment contract in Germany.

Success stories from businesses we’ve helped enter and grow in new markets.

Client Testimonials

"As a seed-stage, London-based startup, we were initially hesitant to expand internationally due to the administrative workload involved. Horizons took the headache out of the process, allowing us to hire a team of software engineers in Germany."

Gabor SzedlakCo-founder & COO at MindLabs (UK)

"I truly appreciated the thoroughness and the professionalism of Horizons personnel while we hired internationally with them. They were knowledgable on all subject matters pertaining to international employment."

Gary PaskyVP Software Development, PICS ITech (USA)

"On deciding to begin commercial activities in Asia Pacific, we needed a provider to handle the employment and remuneration of our workforce. With Horizons the result was fast, efficient, and fit-for-purpose. We recommend Horizons as an EOR provider.”

Chris MorrellManaging Director, Schaeffler Group (Germany)

"The collaboration with the Horizons team is excellent. Both our local employee as well as our HQ in Germany are more than pleased with the support provided and the simplicity of the service. We can highly recommend the Horizons solution to anyone."

Christoph EngelbertCo-Founder & CTO, Clevabit (Germany)

"We needed an EOR that could provide expert support for payroll in APAC. We are pleased with Horizons’ expertise and the fact that they are flexible, responsive, and easily accessible from Belgium. They were able to provide services within the short timeline we required."

Katia FlamandHuman Resources, Devian Chemicals (Belgium)