Germany’s Push for a 48-Hour Week Runs Into Worker Health and Productivity Concerns
14.06.2026 - 08:43:27 | boerse-global.de
Almost three out of four employees fear their work-life balance will suffer if Germany scraps the traditional eight-hour day in favor of a weekly cap of 48 hours, according to a study by the Economic and Social Sciences Institute (WSI). The research, which also warns that accident risks climb sharply after the eighth hour of work, comes as the governing coalition clashes over one of the most far-reaching labor market reforms in decades.
The plan, agreed in principle by the CDU/CSU and SPD, would replace the current daily maximum of eight hours—extendable to ten only in exceptional cases—with a straight weekly ceiling of 48 hours. Employers’ associations argue that the change gives businesses the flexibility they need to react to fluctuating order volumes. But labor unions see it as a dangerous erosion of worker protection.
DGB chair Yasmin Fahimi has come out firmly against what she calls a weakening of the eight-hour day. “This is not about modernizing the workplace; it’s about dismantling protections that have served workers well for generations,” she said.
DIW president Marcel Fratzscher also poured cold water on the reform. Speaking today, he called the switch to a weekly limit insufficient to solve Germany’s economic problems. “Some flexibility in specific sectors can make sense, but the debate must not focus solely on the quantity of work. What matters is productivity,” Fratzscher said. He warned that service industries such as gastronomy and nursing could see employees placed under even greater strain.
On the political front, CDU parliamentary group leader Jens Spahn pushed the SPD on Sunday to honor the coalition’s commitment. “Economic growth must now take priority,” Spahn said, while simultaneously ruling out any increase in social benefits until that growth materializes. Federal Economy Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU) had already signaled support on Friday, calling for a faster reform pace and a longer working life, as well as what she termed “performance-based fairness.”
Federal Labor Minister Bärbel Bas (SPD) still intends to present a draft bill in June. The reform is part of a larger legislative package that also includes stabilizing social insurance contributions. Meanwhile, the Bundestag spent Friday and Saturday debating the Contribution Rate Stabilization Act, introduced by Health Minister Nina Warken (CDU). That law aims to save roughly €16 billion to close gaps in the statutory health insurance system. Opposition parties and the federal states have criticized planned cuts to tax subsidies and are demanding changes.
Whether the working-time reform clears parliamentary hurdles now depends largely on the coalition partners reaching a deal on the exact design of the weekly cap. The dispute over the finer points is likely to be intense.
