Advocates push for broader employment opportunities
Hot Takes: The Left's Push for Heat Breaks Amidst the Climate Crisis
Ready to cool down your workday? The Left Party has got you covered! Fed up with sweltering office temperatures and the health risks they pose, the Left Party is calling for extended breaks during hot weather. In their action paper, they propose reducing working hours at 26 degrees Celsius in the workplace, and halving them at 30 degrees.
"The climate crisis is no longer a distant, frightening future - it's on our doorstep," says Jan van Aken, co-chair of the Left Party, who emphasizes the detrimental effects of extreme heat on worker productivity and health. According to van Aken, no one should have to "sweat through the day in an air-conditioned office or endure the scorching sun while working outside."
Van Aken's Heat Break Manifesto
By July 2025, van Aken wants the federal government to enact several measures, including:
- Ten-minute breaks per hour:When temperatures exceed 26 degrees Celsius at work, employees should be entitled to a 10-minute break per hour.
- Right to Water and Shade:Employers must provide ample drinking water and proper shade for workers during hot weather.
- Flexible Hours:Employees should have the right to work remotely or adjust their hours during extreme heat.
- Half-day Shutdown:At temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius, work hours should be reduced by half, and employees should take a 10-minute break every half hour. Furthermore, employers should set up fans at the workplace.
- Enable Practical Protections:At construction sites, waste collection vehicles, and similar workspaces, employers should implement tailored heat protection plans, such as providing sunscreen dispensers and ensuring proper hydration.
The Union and AfD Shrug It Off
While the Greens support the Left Party's proposal, the Union and AfD think it's a pipedream. The Union dismisses the idea, saying that Germany already has a robust work safety system in place. The AfD, on the other hand, argues that it's not the government's job to tell companies how to operate.
The State of Labor Law and Climate Change
As of now, there are no strict national laws mandating heat breaks for workers during hot weather in Germany. However, existing labor laws stress the importance of maintaining a safe and health-conscious workplace. The Left Party's proposed heat protection measures seek to expand on these protections given the increased impacts of climate change on workers.
So, let's break the heatwave together - with dinner breaks, shade, and a whole lot less sweat!
- Health
- Climate Change
- Labor Law
- The Left
- Jan van Aken
- Greens
- Union
- AfD
- Citing the detrimental effects of extreme heat on worker productivity and health, Jan van Aken, co-chair of the Left Party, advocates for an employment policy that incorporates climate change considerations, proposing extended breaks during hot weather as part of a broader heat protection policy in the workplace.
- In line with the general-news landscape, the science behind the impact of extreme heat on workers' health and productivity is a topic of ongoing discussion, with van Aken's manifesto for heat breaks gaining support from the Greens, yet facing criticism from the Union and AfD, who argue that the proposal is unrealistic given the existing robust work safety system and lack of national laws mandating heat breaks in Germany.
- As the climate crisis poses increasingly severe impacts on health-and-wellness, the environmental-science community is closely monitoring the evolution of labor laws and employment policies to adapt to the changing climate, with the Left Party's proposal for heat breaks during hot weather representing a proactive approach to addressing the intersection between the environment and worker well-being.
