Title:
Full-Time Work (Vollzeit) in Germany – An Overview (2025)
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What does full-time work (Vollzeit) in Germany mean in 2025? An overview of working hours, contracts, minimum wage, social security, taxes, holidays, sick pay, notice periods and dismissal protection for full-time employees.
Vollzeit (full-time work) generally refers to a standard full-time job where employees work 35 to 40 hours per week over five working days (Monday–Friday) (expatrio.com).
Full-time work is regulated by the Working Time Act (Arbeitszeitgesetz – ArbZG):
8 hours per day are the regular maximum,
this can be extended to up to 10 hours per day,
as long as the average daily working time does not exceed 8 hours within a reference period of 6 months or 24 weeks (L&E Global).
Permanent contract (unbefristeter Arbeitsvertrag):
The most common form of employment – an open-ended contract without a fixed end date.
Fixed-term contract (befristeter Arbeitsvertrag):
Ends automatically after a fixed period agreed in the contract (usually up to 2 years),
often with the option to extend up to three times under the TzBfG (Part-Time and Fixed-Term Employment Act).
Probationary period (Probezeit):
Typically specified in the contract, with a maximum of 6 months.
During this period, both parties can terminate the contract with a 14-day notice period (Horizons).
| Item | Standard |
|---|---|
| Weekly working hours | Generally 35–40 hours; absolute legal maximum 48 hours (L&E Global) |
| Daily rest period | At least 11 consecutive hours of rest between working days |
| Breaks | – At least 30 minutes if daily working time exceeds 6 hours |
| – Additional 15 minutes after 4.5 hours (L&E Global) |
Collective agreements or company agreements may stipulate more favourable conditions (e.g. shorter weekly hours at full pay).
The statutory minimum wage is €12.82 gross per hour as of 1 January 2025, and it applies to all employees, including full-time workers (expatrio.com).
Gross wage = wage before deduction of taxes and social security contributions.
Full-time employees in Germany are normally subject to mandatory social security contributions:
| Insurance | Total rate (%) | Employee share (%) | Employer share (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pension insurance (Rentenversicherung) | 18.6 | 9.3 | 9.3 (taxsummaries.pwc.com) |
| Unemployment insurance (Arbeitslosenversicherung) | 2.4 | 1.2 | 1.2 (taxsummaries.pwc.com) |
| Health insurance (Krankenversicherung) | approx. 17.1 (14.6 + ~2.5 additional) | ~8.55 | ~8.55 (Mercans Global Payroll & PEO) |
| Long-term care insurance (Pflegeversicherung) | 3.6 | 1.8¹ | 1.8¹ (Deutsche Flagge) |
| Accident insurance (Unfallversicherung) | varies | 0 | varies (paid solely by employer) |
| Insolvency levy (Insolvenzgeldumlage) | 0.09 | 0 | 0.09 (taxsummaries.pwc.com) |
¹ For employees without children, an additional 0.25 % surcharge is levied on the employee’s share.
Income tax:
Progressive rates ranging from 0 % to 45 %, depending on income.
Basic tax allowance (Grundfreibetrag):
For 2025, the basic personal allowance is €12,096 per person.
Income below this threshold is not subject to income tax (taxsummaries.pwc.com).
Solidarity surcharge (Solidaritätszuschlag):
5.5 % on income tax above certain thresholds (e.g. €19,950 for single taxpayers).
Church tax (Kirchensteuer):
Usually 8–9 % of the income tax, payable only by members of a recognised church.
On top of income tax, social security contributions are deducted directly from the gross salary.
Annual leave (Erholungsurlaub):
The legal minimum is 20 days of paid leave per year based on a 5-day working week (equivalent to 4 weeks), according to the Federal Holiday Act.
In practice, many employers offer 25–30 days of annual leave (boundlesshq.com, Statistisches Bundesamt).
Sick leave and continued payment of wages:
In case of illness, the employer pays full salary for up to 6 weeks per illness (Entgeltfortzahlung) (skuad.io).
After 6 weeks, statutory health insurance usually pays sickness benefit (Krankengeld).
Standard statutory notice period:
At least 4 weeks to the 15th or the end of a calendar month, for both employer and employee (§ 622 BGB, winheller.com).
Longer notice periods for employers:
With increasing length of service, the notice period for employers increases, e.g.:
1–2 years of service: 1 month to the end of a month
5 years of service: 2 months to the end of a month
(Further steps are regulated in § 622 BGB.)
Employment or collective agreements may provide for longer notice periods, but not shorter than the legal minimum (except during probation).
After 6 months of continuous employment (qualifying period) in companies with more than 10 full-time equivalent employees, the Protection Against Dismissal Act (Kündigungsschutzgesetz) applies.
This means:
Dismissal by the employer must be socially justified (due to operational, personal or conduct-related reasons).
Arbitrary termination without valid reason is not permitted.
Employees who doubt the legality of a dismissal can file an unfair dismissal claim (Kündigungsschutzklage) with the labour court, typically within 3 weeks.
Full-time work in Germany is characterised by:
Clearly regulated working hours and rest periods,
a legally guaranteed minimum wage,
comprehensive social security coverage,
paid holidays and continued wage payment during sickness,
and statutory protection against unfair dismissal in larger companies.
To understand your own contract in detail, you should carefully read your employment contract and seek advice from HR, the works council (Betriebsrat) or a labour law specialist if necessary.
The editorial team of the website strives to provide accurate information based on intensive research and multiple sources. However, errors or incomplete information may still occur. The content of this article is therefore intended as an initial reference only. For binding and up-to-date information, please consult the relevant authorities, tax advisors or legal professionals.
