German employers' association president Rainer Dulger proposes a statutory weekly maximum working time to reduce absenteeism and curb abuse of sick leave, drawing comparisons with other EU countries
Executive summary: Rainer Dulger, president of the German employers' association BDA, proposed introducing a statutory weekly maximum working time in Germany to reduce sickness absenteeism and combat abuse of sick leave. The proposal could reshape labor regulations in Germany, affecting working time directives, employer-employee relations, and social security costs, particularly amid labor shortages and demographic challenges.
Who is involved: Rainer Dulger (BDA president), German employers, labor unions, federal ministries of labor and health, and the broader German workforce.
Likely next: The proposal will likely trigger debate within the German coalition government, potential counter-proposals from unions, and possible referral to labor policy commissions for further analysis.
Rainer Dulger, president of the German Confederation of Employers' Associations (BDA), has called for introducing a legally binding upper limit on weekly working hours in Germany, arguing it would lower sickness absence rates and improve workforce productivity. He points to practices in other EU member states where such limits exist and advocates for stricter controls on fraudulent sick leave claims. The proposal reflects ongoing tensions between employer demands for labor flexibility and worker protections, particularly as Germany grapples with demographic pressures and rising labor costs.
Timeline
- — Arbeitszeitreform: Arbeitgeberpräsident fordert wöchentliche Höchstarbeitszeit (Handelsblatt)
Analysis — what this means
Likely next events
- BDA to formally submit working time proposal to federal labor ministry by September 2026
- Labor unions expected to issue position statements on weekly working limits within 4 weeks
- Federal Ministry of Labor to convene stakeholder dialogue on working time reform by October 2026
Sectors affected
- Manufacturing
- Healthcare
- Retail
- Public administration
Regulatory implications
- Potential amendment to German Working Time Act (Arbeitszeitgesetz) to introduce weekly maximum hours
- Alignment discussions with EU Working Time Directive (2003/88/EC) regarding opt-out provisions
Historical parallels
- Germany's introduction of the 8-hour workday in 1918 following the November Revolution
- Implementation of the 35-hour workweek in France in 2000 under the Aubry laws
- EU Working Time Directive adoption in 2003, setting 48-hour weekly maximum across member states