Minimum Wage and Working Hours in Germany

The state is keen to increase Minimum Wage in Germany Constantly in order to provide a distinguished life for all citizens, and work on their comfort in order to afford the cost of living.

This is due to Germany’s desire to keep pace with the constant increase in life expectancy, in terms of the prices of electricity, gas, food commodities, and more.

As a result, Germany has become the highest minimum wage in the EU, second only to Luxembourg by 73 cents.

To learn about the Minimum Wage Law, the categories benefiting from the increase decisions, and the number of hours allowed, you can follow Europedia 24 europedia24.com which explains all the details.

Minimum Wage Law in Germany

Germany’s minimum wage law is one of the most important laws in the country, regulating wage rates and ensuring workers’ rights well.

The law began to apply to all state employees starting on January 1, 2015, and since then, the increase has been steadily increasing for all groups within society.

Germany’s aim is to implement this law, in order to guarantee the rights of all state workers, as the minimum wage in Germany in 2017 was lower than the legal minimum wage, estimated at around €8.84 per hour.

In order to correct this situation, the State has decided to apply the minimum wage in Germany in general to all employees, within the limit set by the Commission without any restrictions.

This decision stipulated that the Neutral Committee would decide the minimum amount in the future, following the recommendations, every two years.

After the decision was officially implemented in Germany, the working hour was estimated at around 9.82 euros on January 1, 2022.

Not only that, but there was another increase in the same year in July, reaching €10.45.

By October of the same year, the German government had decided to increase the minimum wage in Germany for the third time, until it reached 12 euros.

As for people who earn monthly salaries, there has also been a significant increase from €1,620 to €2,080, in the case of jobs that require a 40-hour work week hours.

We cannot lose sight of Minijob in Germany It also saw an increase in accordance with the Minimum Wage Law, rising from €450 to €520 per month.

For an accurate view of the increase in the minimum wage in Germany from 2015, see the following table:

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Categories of beneficiaries of the minimum wage increase in Germany

Germany aims to help all segments of society and employees keep pace with the constant increase in the prices of goods, products and more.

Overall, around 6.5 million people benefited from the decision to increase the minimum wage in Germany, which represents about 15% of the country’s job pool.

Based on the latest decision, salaries have increased by 20% for those working within the minimum wage range.

However, it should be noted that the law applies to all workers over the age of 18, but in the case of a younger worker, they must complete their vocational training to start working.

There are exceptional cases that are not subject to the law in Germany, as these cases are as follows:

1. Self-employed people.
2. Hired workers who have not been hired.
3. Workers under the age of 18.
4. The unemployed.
5. Trainees whose duration of work is less than 3 months.
6. Volunteers in the Social Year.
7. People who have received benefits for more than a year.
8. People with secondary vocational education.

Wages are subject to constant adjustments and changes by Germany’s Minimum Wage Committee every two years.

The committee includes the chairman and three representatives of companies and unions, as well as those working in an advisory capacity, with the committee taking its final decision on the basis of recent developments in collective negotiations.

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Number of working hours in Germany

The German Labour Code allows for all different jobs based on the number of hours allowed to be worked within the country, which is estimated at around 8 hours per day 5 days a week.

The above is equivalent to about 40 hours per week, and accordingly people who work 40 hours a week earn around 2080 euros per month as a minimum salary cannot be less than this amount.

Given that workers in mini-jobs earn €520 per month, the hourly work is estimated at around €12 for any job within the country at a minimum.

The German government imposes many penalties if the minimum wage is not adhered to.

The amount of the fine imposed on violators is estimated at about half a million euros, provided that fines in excess of 200 euros are recorded in a special register.

The penalty is imposed on the employer, as well as on the employee if he conceals the order for a salary below the minimum specified in the Labour Law.

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How to calculate a fine for violating the Labor Law in Germany

We have also explained that the German authorities are seeking to impose a lot of penalties on employers and employees, in case of non-compliance with the minimum wage in Germany.

Of course, the degree of punishment varies from person to person, depending on the type of violation, but in general, the fine imposed as a result of the violation is calculated in a very simple way.

The method is through a calculation by multiplying the number 2 by the amount fixed for the low payment and then adding 30%, and the result is the rate of the fine that will be imposed on the violators.

Germany is constantly seeking to stop violators, in order to work to ensure the rights of workers within the state and to adhere to the minimum wage rate in Germany.

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Frequently Asked Questions on Minimum Wage in Germany

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