(de-news.net) – Regarding the German government’s proposal to set weekly instead of daily maximum working hours, a study of the trade union-affiliated Hans Böckler Foundation has warned of that the change could increase sick days and intensify stress in balancing work and family life. Earlier, DGB Chair Fahimi had also criticized the plan, arguing it would legitimize questionable business models, potentially allowing long shifts for parcel delivery subcontractors and shorter rest periods in hospitality.

Currently, the legal daily working time is limited to eight hours, extendable to ten hours in exceptional cases. The governing coalition argues that the reform to set weekly maximum hours aims to provide greater flexibility for both employers and employees.

An analysis by the German Economic Institute (IW), based on OECD data, has shown that Germans work significantly fewer hours than most other nations. In 2023, those aged 15 to 64 averaged 1,036 hours, compared to 1,172 in Greece, 1,304 in Poland, and over 1,400 in New Zealand. The IW forecasts a possible decline in Germany’s total labor volume. While other European countries have raised individual working hours since 2013—Spain by 15 percent, Greece by 21 percent, and Poland by 23 percent — Germany saw a 2 percent rise only. One key reason, the IW notes, is the high part-time employment rate: about 30 percent in Germany, versus 18 percent in Italy and 6 percent in Poland.