Daily rest period

General information

After the end of the daily working time, employees must be granted an uninterrupted rest period of at least eleven hours.

The collective bargaining agreement may reduce the uninterrupted rest period to at least eight hours, if another rest period is extended accordingly within the next ten calendar days. However, a reduction to less than ten hours is only possible if the collective bargaining agreement contains additional measures to ensure a recovery by employees.

Continuous shift work

In continuous shift work (also on the weekend), the daily rest period may be reduced to a shift length (but at least eight hours) once per shift rotation at the change of shift. Another daily rest period must be extended accordingly within the shift rotation.

Enterprises affected

Employers are responsible for complying with working time provisions. Infringements of the daily rest period provisions are punishable.

Competent authority

The → Labour InspectorateGerman text

Competent body for administrative penalties:

The amount of the administrative penalties differ. The details are regulated in section 28 Arbeitszeitgesetz (AZG - Federal Working Time Act).

Further information

Further Links

Legal bases

section 12 Arbeitszeitgesetz (AZG)

Translated by the European Commission
Last update: 24 February 2023

Responsible for the content: Federal Ministry of Labour and Economy

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