how many hours in a German day?

[darrenb]

I'm doing a contract direct for a German company. They requested a daily rate, which is a bit odd in Germany, but anyway I said ok, and logged a regular 7.5 hours a day, sometimes more. Now, they are complaining they expected me to do a minimum of 8 hours every day, even though it is nowhere mentioned in the contract. Frankly I think they are just trying it on, but does anybody know anything I can refer to about the "standard German day" if they bring it up again?

[Platypus]

Working time in the European Union: Germany

A minimum of 8 might be trying it on, but 8 sounds about right according to the above.

The Fourth European Working Conditions Survey shows that 73.1% of all employees surveyed worked five days per week. Furthermore, 40.9% of the employees indicated that they worked between 39 and 41 hours a week. This was the largest group

[chef]

I don't know of any legislation but general working practice whenever I've worked for a German firm has always been 8hrs excluding lunch.

[BlasterBates]

I used to work a 42 hour week, so 8.4 per day.

I think up to 8.5 hours would be OK and if they stipulate 8, work 8 and give them the odd half-hour of overtime.

[captainham]

Pretty sure it's the same as everywhere else, i.e., 24.

[Ignis Fatuus]

I don't know of any legislation but general working practice whenever I've worked for a German firm has always been 8hrs excluding lunch.

Ditto. And note the lunch break: in Germany (as in most of Europe), 9-5 does not make an 8-hour day.

BTW you do legally have to take a lunch break of at least 30 minutes, and I have had clients insist on it.

[Ignis Fatuus]

Working time in the European Union: Germany

A minimum of 8 might be trying it on, but 8 sounds about right according to the above.

The Fourth European Working Conditions Survey shows that 73.1% of all employees surveyed worked five days per week. Furthermore, 40.9% of the employees indicated that they worked between 39 and 41 hours a week. This was the largest group

From that link:

To what extent does the standard ‘full-time’ working day – 08.00/09.00 to 17.00/18.00 - prevail as the norm?
To what extent does the ‘standard time norm’ of the working week (40 hour, 5 day week) prevail?

In my experience only the British think that 7.5 hours is a standard working day. And only the British count the lunch break as part of working hours.

[northernladuk]

I don't think there is any such thing as a 'standard day' in any country. There are cultural differences abotu when you work yes but a standard number of hours? I very much doubt that. Even if you do come up with a generic number that supposedly covers every industry and every single worker in an entire country it is highly likely an individual company has a different view. I think you are on a hiding to no where on this one and it will be down to individual negotiation.

I also wouldn't expect somewhere with an economy as supposedly good as Germany they would have a slacker 7.5 hours and you go home attitude like we do.

Personally I am still struggling with the concept of kicking up a fuss for anything under 8 hours but thats my opinion.

[chef]

When working in Munich, the people there (all external contractors either via their own company or working as a permie for a consultancy) all worked an 8hr day like clockwork, arriving at the office between 7 and 9, always eating together for 30 mins lunch and once their 8 hrs of work time was complete then they were out of the door within the minute.

The exact same scenario occured in Hamburg & Stuttgart for other firms.

[d000hg]

In my experience only the British think that 7.5 hours is a standard working day. And only the British count the lunch break as part of working hours.

I've never had lunch break counted as part of the hours... 9-5 with 30min lunch break is 37.5 hours.

The UK might have a slightly shorter day than many places, but France is much shorter IIRC.