Federal government is planning new working hours: Health in danger!

Federal government is planning new working hours: Health in danger!

Böckler Institut, Deutschland - In Germany, the discussion about working hours has again gained driving. Chancellor Friedrich Merz has initiated a debate that focuses on a possible relaxation of the Working Hours Act. The goal of the new federal government is to regulate the weekly maximum working hours instead of continued to strictly limit the daily maximum working hours. According to Boeckler could lead to daily working hours, which triggered a lot.

The current working hours law currently allows a daily working time of up to 10 hours, with the possibility for deviations under certain conditions, such as in areas with regular on-call duty laws on the Internet . However, a current short study by the Hugo Sinzheimer Institute for Labor Law (HSI) warns of the health risks associated with such long working hours. This additional workload could make the compatibility of work and family considerably more difficult.

health risks and workload

The experts of the HSI find that the risk of accidents increases exponentially from the 8th hour of work. Scientific knowledge shows that longer working hours increase health burdens and risks beyond 8 hours. In 2023, the number of dependent employees in Germany reached a maximum of 42.2 million. Nevertheless, the average annual working time of 1,478 hours in 1991 fell to 1,295 hours in 2023 Boeckler .

A third of the employees worked part -time in 2023, which is almost half of the active in women. These statistics throw a light on working hours in Germany, where the existing working time law already offers considerable flexibility for employers Laws on the Internet .

part -time work and institutional childcare

The introduction of a weekly maximum working period could also exacerbate existing care conflicts. The lack of influence of employees on the distribution of working hours is criticized. Experts of the HSI recommend reforms that are intended to strengthen part -time work and institutional childcare in order to better meet the needs of the employees Boeckler .

The applicable legal framework already allows certain deviations from working hours, in particular through collective agreements or company agreements, which can further increase flexibility in working hours. For example, long working hours in special industries may be necessary, whereby the health protection of the employee must always be guaranteed Laws on the Internet .

Developments related to working time regulations in Germany offer space for controversial discussions. While the Federal Government relies on more flexibility, the question of how these changes will affect the health and family life of employees.

For further information on the legal framework, right access to comprehensive documentation, as in Bundestag