European Social Fund Development Proposal by Commission Unveiled
Government Plans to Extend Maximum Working Hours Sparks Backlash from Labor Law Experts
Frustration over the federal government's proposals to ease restrictions on maximum working hours is growing among labor law experts and trade unions. The initiative, outlined in the coalition agreement between Union and SPD, could see daily working hours surpassing twelve hours, according to the Hugo Sinzheimer Institute for Labor Law, a research institute affiliated with the Hans-Böckler Foundation.
Overtime work has been linked to a variety of health risks, including burnout, strokes, cancer, and increased accident risk, the experts warn. The harmonization of work and family life may also be affected.
The proposal to replace the current daily maximum working time cap with a weekly one was announced in the coalition agreement. Under the current law, a daily maximum working time of eight hours is in effect, with the possibility of extending to ten hours under certain circumstances. Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz described this as a means to promote more freedom for businesses and employees.
In a government statement, Merz stated, "We are enhancing flexibility for both employees and businesses through a weekly maximum working time as opposed to a daily one."
Amélie Sutterer-Kipping, a labor law expert, criticized the deregulation of working hours. She argued that it disregards findings in occupational medicine and labor research and disregards social realities. According to Sutterer-Kipping, such a move could potentially be economically detrimental.
She explained, "Stripping down working hours regulations against evidence from occupational medicine and labor research and disregarding social realities could even prove economically counterproductive. It would hinder developments that have significantly contributed to record employment and working hours in recent years, while at the same time compounding issues in health and demographics."
Record levels in employment numbers and overall working hours are partly due to the increased participation of women in the workforce. However, the relevant sources for the exact arguments from labor law experts and trade unions regarding the current German federal government's proposal were not directly provided in the search results. For precise insights into the positions of these actors, recent statements or reports from the experts and unions would need to be consulted.
Sources: ntv.de, rts
- The government's plan to replace the daily maximum working time cap with a weekly one, as outlined in the coalition agreement, has sparked concerns among labor law experts and trade unions, such as Amélie Sutterer-Kipping, due to its potential disregard for findings in occupational medicine and labor research, and its potential economic and social implications.
- The extended working hours, which could see daily hours surpassing twelve, as suggested by the Hugo Sinzheimer Institute for Labor Law, are being criticized for their potential impact on health risks like burnout, strokes, cancer, increased accident risk, and mental health issues, as well as their potential effect on work-family life balance.
- The proposal for a weekly maximum working time instead of a daily one, as presented by Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz, has been met with skepticism by labor experts who argue that it could hinder recent developments that have led to record employment and working hours, particularly among women, and potentially exacerbate issues related to health and demographics.
