Working-time calculator with statutory breaks, overtime split, and weekly target
Enter start and end times; the calculator applies Germany's statutory break (ArbZG § 4) automatically, flags overtime above 8 h, and shows your weekly-target gap.
A working-time calculator subtracts the break from the hours you were present and tells you what is left as net time. This one also knows German labour law: it applies the statutory break under § 4 ArbZG automatically, shows overtime above your daily threshold separately, and compares the week against your contracted target.
Today
§ 4 ArbZG active9 h gross · 30 min break
Your days
Week
No weekly target setSettings 8 h / Tag
0 disables the target delta and weekly overtime.
German § 3 ArbZG allows up to 10 h per working day only if the average over 6 months (24 weeks) stays at 8 h per working day - 48 h per week on average. Collective agreements and contracts can be stricter; the surcharge preview (+50% weekday / +100% Sunday) is an example, not statutory.
Legal note: not legal or tax advice
This calculator is informational and does not replace legal advice or payroll. ArbZG references mirror the statute wording; collective agreements and employment contracts may impose different or stricter rules. Surcharge percentages are customary, not statutory.
How do I calculate my daily working time including breaks?
Net working time is end minus start minus break. Enter 08:00 and 17:00 above and you get nine gross hours. A 30-minute statutory break comes off, leaving 8 hours 30 minutes net. If your break was longer or shorter, override the auto value in the row's dropdown.
How an entry works:
- Enter start and end as HH:MM. If the shift ends after midnight, the calculation carries across the day boundary and marks a +1 day next to the end time.
- Leave the break on Auto, or pick a fixed value.
- Net, gross, and overtime sit right in the row.
For a full week, add one row per day; the total and the gap to your target appear below. Holidays and sick days go in as a skipped day, so the weekly figure stays clean.
How long is the statutory break after 6 or 9 hours of work?
German law sets the break by the length of the working day: at least 30 minutes for more than six and up to nine hours, at least 45 minutes for more than nine hours. The phrase "more than" matters - at exactly six hours no break is required yet, from the first minute beyond it one is.
Work must be interrupted by rest breaks, fixed in advance, of at least 30 minutes for working time of more than six up to nine hours, and 45 minutes for working time of more than nine hours.
Source: § 4 sentence 1 ArbZG (Germany's Working Hours Act), gesetze-im-internet.de (as of May 2026). Translation ours.
| Working time (gross) | Required break |
|---|---|
| up to 6:00 hours | none |
| more than 6 to 9 hours | at least 30 minutes |
| more than 9 hours | at least 45 minutes |
The break can be split, with each part at least 15 minutes long (§ 4 sentence 2). And no one may work more than six hours straight without a break, which § 4 sentence 3 makes explicit. Enter a manual break shorter than the law requires and a note appears on that row.
When does working time count as overtime?
Overtime is time beyond your agreed working hours, and that figure lives in your employment or collective agreement, not in the law. By default the preview uses eight hours per day plus anything above your weekly target. You can change both thresholds in the settings.
Two terms are often distinguished, though the Working Hours Act defines neither: Mehrarbeit usually means time beyond the legally permitted maximum, while overtime (Überstunden) means time beyond your contracted hours. In practice the two overlap. The Act sets no surcharge either way: whether and how much extra you are paid is a matter for your contract, a works agreement, or a collective agreement.
The surcharge preview uses 50 percent on weekdays and 100 percent on Sundays. These are example rates, not a legal requirement - the actual rates, where they exist, come from your employment or collective agreement.
How many weekly hours are allowed in Germany?
A single working day is capped at eight hours, but may be extended to ten - as long as the average over six months or 24 weeks stays at eight hours per working day. Across a six-day week that averages out to 48 hours, the upper limit.
The working time of employees on working days may not exceed eight hours. It may be extended to up to ten hours only if, within six calendar months or 24 weeks, an average of eight hours per working day is not exceeded.
Source: § 3 ArbZG, gesetze-im-internet.de (as of May 2026). Translation ours.
Keep this separate from your contracted target hours (Sollarbeitszeit): the number of hours your contract sets, usually 35 to 40 a week for full-time. The calculator compares your logged time against that target and shows the gap. It does not model the binding six-month average from § 3; for that you would add several weeks together yourself.
Hours per day, days per year, euro per hour
Planning freelance work takes three numbers: hours per day, working days per year, and your hourly rate. Multiplied together they give your annual revenue. This calculator supplies the first; two more Toolflux calculators cover the other two, turning separate figures into one continuous plan. The break and overtime rules above protect employees; for self-employed planning, the raw hour count is what matters most.
An example: 8 net hours a day across 220 working days is 1,760 hours. At 85 euro an hour that would be about 149,600 euro in annual revenue, before tax, costs, and non-billable time.
How many working days your year holds is what the working days calculator works out, with public holidays and leave. Which hourly rate covers your costs and target income is what the hourly rate calculator settles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Sollarbeitszeit (contracted target hours) mean?
Sollarbeitszeit is the number of hours your contract expects you to work per week or month - usually between 35 and 40 for full-time. It is not set by law but by the employment or collective agreement. Enter your weekly target above and you can see whether you are over or under it.
What happens if my shift runs past midnight?
If the end time is earlier than the start time, the calculator assumes a night shift and counts across midnight. A shift from 22:00 to 06:00 comes to eight hours, not minus 16. A small +1 day note appears next to the end time so the assumption is visible.
Can I override the automatic break?
Yes. Each row's break field offers fixed values from 0 to 120 minutes, plus an Auto option with the legally correct figure. Enter less than § 4 ArbZG requires and a note appears - but you are not blocked.