Status: 05/19/2022 11:26 am
Working when others have finished work or are enjoying the weekend: Many people in Germany are also at work on Sundays and public holidays, in the evenings or at night. They are often unable to comply with statutory rest periods.
One or every tenth employee in Germany also works on Sundays and public holidays, one or every seventh also in the evening – and around twenty percent of employees in Germany work at night. Increasingly, the statutory rest and break times are not being observed. This is the result of two answers from the Federal Ministry of Labor to questions from Left Party Vice President Susanne Ferschl, which the “Rheinische Post” has received.
In its answer, the ministry relies on data from the microcensus and the regular working time survey of the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAUA).
The lack of skilled workers increases the pressure
According to this, almost a fifth or 18 percent of all dependent employees are often unable to comply with the statutory rest periods between their assignments due to high work pressure. According to the answer, the shortage of workers and skilled workers is also becoming increasingly noticeable in many sectors. This is increasingly leading to capacity bottlenecks and worsening working conditions.
Statutory rest periods can often not be observed, especially in health and social professions, in gastronomy, in transport or in retail. For example, a statutory break of at least eleven hours is required between two work assignments, which has to be shortened more and more frequently.
Health and social services particularly affected
Health and social care also has the highest break absenteeism during the workday at 43 percent, according to the data. Many employees are obliged to work at night, on Sundays and on public holidays, said Feschl. These working hours demonstrably harm the health and satisfaction of employees and must therefore be contained, regulated and controlled. The left parliamentary group leader called for all employers to record working hours.