Working time in Germany and France - legal framework and current trends | HR Coffee Break #9

HR Coffee Break #9

Do the legal principles on working time still match today's forms of work? European working time legislation regulates maximum weekly working hours, while flexible work (i.e. “workation”) is becoming more popular. Such modern working time schemes require more detailed regulations for employers.

In particular, internationally operating companies must observe various country-specific working time regulations. A closer look at Germany and France reveals fundamental similarities but also significant differences in working time regulations. In Germany, employers may contact employees outside of working hours in individual cases, whereas employees in France may have the right to switch off company communications during their free time.

In the upcoming HR Coffee Break, our French colleague Anaïs Edet and our German colleague Johannes Loch will explain the respective country-specific principles on working hours (including overtime pay), current legal trends in each country and pragmatic solutions for employers operating in Germany and/or France.