Under the German Working Hours Act (Arbeitszeitgesetz – ArbZG), work on Sundays and public holidays (Sonn- und Feiertagsruhe) is, as a general rule, prohibited for all employees in Germany (§ 9 ArbZG).

Permitted exceptions

Work at the weekend (Wochenende) is only allowed in certain sectors and activities, such as:

• health care (hospitals and nursing homes)

• restaurants and hotels

• means of transport (trains, buses, air traffic)

• police and fire services

• media and emergency services

• some industries that require continuous production (for example heavy industry or energy production)

• petrol stations, ovens, bakeries

In these sectors, weekend or holiday work must be explicitly regulated in the employment contract or in a company/works agreement, usually on the basis of agreed shift or rotating schedules.

Conditions for work at the weekend (Wochenende)

Compensation: If an employee works on a Sunday, they must be granted another compensatory rest day within two weeks (§ 11 ArbZG).

Maximum limit: No more than six consecutive days may be worked without a weekly rest period.

Employee consent: If weekend work is not expressly stipulated in the employment contract or in a company agreement, the employee may not be obliged to work at the weekend suddenly or on a permanent basis.

Conclusion

Employees may only be required to work at the weekend if this is legally permitted and explicitly laid down in the contract, or if there is an operational necessity within one of the sectors exempted by law.

In all other cases, the employee has the right to refuse weekend work without legal consequences.

If, by way of exception, an employee is required to work on a public holiday or at the weekend, they must be granted a compensatory day of rest within the statutory period.

• The team of authors and editors of the website strives to provide accurate information through extensive research and consultation of multiple sources. Nevertheless, errors may occur or some information may not be fully confirmed. For this reason, please regard the information in this article as an initial point of reference and always contact the competent authorities to obtain binding and up-to-date information.