3 ms·

I hear this 35h/week thing in Germany a lot around here but when looking for tech jobs there all companies I saw expect 40h/week, so which is it? Or is 35 the

I hear this 35h/week thing in Germany a lot around here but when looking for tech jobs there all companies I saw expect 40h/week, so which is it? Or is 35 the standard for government workers and unionized companies like in construction?

volta83 5y ago
35h/week is IG metall, i.e., "metal works" / mechanical engineering work, machine manufacturing, etc. Think Daimler, BMW, Thyssen, Porsche, VW, Bosch, ... > Or is 35 the standard for government workers Government workers typically have 40h/week, but govenrment supports 50% and 75% time (so 20h/week or 30h/week) with the corresponding reduction in salary. > tech jobs That's usually 40h/week unless you do a tech job at a "metal works" company like BMW, VW, Porsche, etc. in which case its 35h/week. Outside of these companies, you can negotiate your work time pretty much freely up to the legal limits for salaried employees. Legal limit on a particular day is 10h/day, and you need 1 day off per week, so your max weekly workload can be 60h/week. However, the legal limit _on average_ is like 45-50h/week, so if you work 60h one week, you have to work 20 the next one to avoid violating the average limit. These legal limits are actually very harshly enforced. It isn't uncommon for, e.g., chinese companies to get fined in germany for violating this, and after the first fine, they are required to report the exact work times of each employee. The fines grow significantly, so usually chinese companies end up closing the office and kicking everyone out after 40h/week to avoid getting close to a second fine.
- pjmlp 5y ago
  I used to work for a company that had a very hard time getting used to the culture. The "You will do X", followed by our "well actually..." reply, was quite common in the early years.
anotheryou 5y ago
You are allowed to reduce hours by law (at least at above 20 employees (and after probation time))

volta83 5y ago

35h/week is IG metall, i.e., "metal works" / mechanical engineering work, machine manufacturing, etc. Think Daimler, BMW, Thyssen, Porsche, VW, Bosch, ... > Or is 35 the standard for government workers Government workers typically have 40h/week, but govenrment supports 50% and 75% time (so 20h/week or 30h/week) with the corresponding reduction in salary. > tech jobs That's usually 40h/week unless you do a tech job at a "metal works" company like BMW, VW, Porsche, etc. in which case its 35h/week. Outside of these companies, you can negotiate your work time pretty much freely up to the legal limits for salaried employees. Legal limit on a particular day is 10h/day, and you need 1 day off per week, so your max weekly workload can be 60h/week. However, the legal limit _on average_ is like 45-50h/week, so if you work 60h one week, you have to work 20 the next one to avoid violating the average limit. These legal limits are actually very harshly enforced. It isn't uncommon for, e.g., chinese companies to get fined in germany for violating this, and after the first fine, they are required to report the exact work times of each employee. The fines grow significantly, so usually chinese companies end up closing the office and kicking everyone out after 40h/week to avoid getting close to a second fine.

pjmlp 5y ago
I used to work for a company that had a very hard time getting used to the culture. The "You will do X", followed by our "well actually..." reply, was quite common in the early years.

anotheryou 5y ago

You are allowed to reduce hours by law (at least at above 20 employees (and after probation time))