Working time is not always the same as the time between arriving and leaving work. Breaks are generally excluded. When recording shifts, flexitime or overtime, keep start, finish and break times separate.
Calculate net working time
Working time = finish time − start time − breaks. Example: you start at 7:30 a.m. and finish at 4:15 p.m. Your presence time is 8 hours 45 minutes. After a 45-minute break, your working time is 8 hours.
Shifts that cross midnight
For a night shift, the finish time is on the following day. Make sure the calculation handles the date change instead of producing a negative duration. Use the working hours calculator to enter start, finish and breaks. The overtime calculator adds positive and negative hours, while the time calculator handles simple time periods.
What break rules apply in Germany?
Under section 4 of the German Working Time Act, a person working more than six and up to nine hours must receive at least 30 minutes of breaks; for more than nine hours, the minimum is 45 minutes. Breaks can be split into periods of at least 15 minutes. Employees generally must not work more than six hours in a row without a break. Read the official German rule on rest breaks and guidance from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. Special rules may apply to certain sectors and groups.
Keep overtime records clearly
Compare actual net working time with your agreed target hours. Record the date, start, finish and breaks, and check how your employer treats additional hours. Your contract, collective agreement and workplace rules may matter.
The calculator helps record time; it does not determine whether overtime was legally required or how it must be compensated.
What statutory breaks apply in Germany?
Under section 4 of the German Working Time Act, a worker scheduled for more than six and up to nine hours must receive at least 30 minutes of rest break; for more than nine hours, the minimum is 45 minutes. Breaks can be split into periods of at least 15 minutes each. Employees may not work for more than six consecutive hours without a break. Check whether any special rules or workplace agreements apply to your role.
Does a break count as working time?
Statutory rest breaks are generally excluded from working time. If the break is unpaid, your total time at the workplace is therefore longer than your paid working hours.