Germany · ArbZG

German Working Hours Calculator

Work out your net working time under German law — gross hours minus the statutory break — in hours, minutes and decimal (industrial) hours. Built for expats, international employees and HR teams dealing with the Arbeitszeitgesetz (ArbZG).

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Gross vs. net time, and the mandatory break

German employment law separates gross time (from clock-in to clock-out) from net working time (gross minus unpaid rest breaks). Only net time is paid and reported. The break is not optional: under § 4 of the Working Time Act (Arbeitszeitgesetz, ArbZG) it depends solely on the length of the shift.

Daily working timeMinimum break
up to 6 hoursnone required
more than 6 to 9 hours30 minutes
more than 9 hours45 minutes

Decimal hours and industrial minutes

For payroll, time is recorded in decimal hours: decimal hours = hours + (minutes ÷ 60), so 7h 30m is 7.5. Industrial minutes (Industrieminuten) are hundredths of an hour — 30 real minutes are 50 industrial minutes, not 30. The calculator above returns net time in both formats so you can multiply directly by an hourly wage.

Daily and weekly limits (§ 3 ArbZG)

The working day may not exceed 8 hours, extendable to 10 if the average stays at 8 over six months — a weekly maximum of 48 hours across six working days. Between two shifts, § 5 ArbZG requires at least 11 hours of uninterrupted rest.

Working time in Germany

Break rules in Germany (§ 4 ArbZG)→ Overtime in Germany→ German public holidays→ Guide: how to calculate work hours→

Frequently asked questions

Net working time = end time − start time − unpaid breaks. For example, 09:00 to 17:00 is 8 hours gross; after the mandatory 30-minute break it is 7.5 net hours (7.50 decimal hours). German payroll records time in decimal hours, not hours-and-minutes.
Under § 4 of the Working Time Act (Arbeitszeitgesetz, ArbZG), a shift of more than 6 hours requires at least a 30-minute unpaid break, and more than 9 hours requires 45 minutes. Up to 6 hours, no break is legally required. The break must interrupt the work and cannot be placed at the start or end.
Under § 3 ArbZG the working day may not exceed 8 hours. It can be extended to 10 hours provided the average stays at 8 hours over 6 months or 24 weeks. The weekly maximum works out to 48 hours (8 hours × 6 working days).
Decimal hours = hours + (minutes ÷ 60), so 7h 30m = 7.5. "Industrial minutes" (Industrieminuten) are hundredths of an hour — 30 real minutes equal 50 industrial minutes (0.50 h), not 30. German payroll uses these so time multiplies cleanly by an hourly wage.
Under § 5 ArbZG, at least 11 consecutive hours of rest must fall between the end of one working day and the start of the next. Certain sectors (hospitals, hospitality, agriculture) may reduce this to 10 hours if compensated within four weeks.

Note: This calculator and its content offer general guidance based on the assumptions given and do not constitute legal advice. The applicable statute, collective agreement and employment contract prevail.