How many hours a day may a pregnant employee work?

Under the German Maternity Protection Act, pregnant employees may work no more than 8.5 hours a day. Overtime is not allowed, and neither is a working week of more than 90 hours on a six-day week. This rule protects mother and child and has to be observed by every employer.

May pregnant employees work at the weekend or at night?

Under the German Maternity Protection Act, pregnant employees may not be employed after 8 pm or on Sundays and public holidays. Exceptions are only possible where the pregnant employee agrees, a medical certificate raises no objections and a substitute rest day is guaranteed. In practice, such exceptions are rare.

Maternity Protection and Working Hours Rules in Germany

Q: Do medical appointments during pregnancy count as working hours?

Yes, antenatal check-ups with a gynaecologist or other specialists count as regular working hours during pregnancy if they cannot take place outside working hours. The employer has to pay for this time in full, as the German Maternity Protection Act (§ 7 MuSchG) requires.

Why the German Maternity Protection Act regulates working hours

The Mutterschutzgesetz (MuSchG, the German Maternity Protection Act) is designed to protect the health of expectant mothers and their unborn children. It governs not only employment bans and protection against dismissal, but also the maximum working time per day, how breaks are arranged, whether night work is permitted and much more.

The working time rules matter particularly, because overload or long shifts during pregnancy can put both mother and child at risk. Employers are therefore obliged to adjust working conditions and working hours so that no danger arises.

You can find more information on working during pregnancy here.

Maximum working time: how long may pregnant employees work?

A pregnant employee may not work more than 8.5 hours per day - regardless of whether she is employed full time or part time. This limit applies to all expectant mothers, even if they feel physically fit.

Important:

The 8.5 hours include the break.
On a six-day week, weekly working time may be 90 hours at most (e.g. 6 x 7.5 hours).
Overtime is off limits for pregnant employees as a matter of principle.

Where a pregnant employee has previously worked longer shifts, the employer is legally obliged to adjust those working hours.

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Break times and rest breaks

Do pregnant employees get more break time?

Yes. The German Maternity Protection Act makes sure that pregnant employees can take enough breaks.

After just 4.5 hours of work, a break of at least 30 minutes has to be granted.
After 6 hours of work, a break of at least 45 minutes is mandatory.
Additional rest breaks are possible where the work is physically demanding or the doctor recommends them.

These rules are there to avoid overload and to make sure the employee gets enough time to recover. Employers are obliged to schedule breaks in a way that meets the needs of pregnant employees.

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Work after 8 pm: which rules apply to pregnant employees?

The German Maternity Protection Act prohibits employing pregnant women between 8 pm and 6 am. Exceptions are only possible in rare cases, where the woman expressly consents, a medical clearance certificate is available and the competent authority approves. In practice, however, such exceptions are very rare.

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Weekend work and shift work

Weekend work in the German Maternity Protection Act: may pregnant employees work at the weekend?

Pregnant employees may not work on Sundays and public holidays. Exceptions are only conceivable with express consent and where a substitute rest day is guaranteed - for example in essential occupations or in emergencies.

Shift work during pregnancy: what the German Maternity Protection Act requires

Shift work is problematic because it often involves night work. As soon as a shift runs past 8 pm or does not contain enough breaks, the employer has to adjust the working hours or move the pregnant employee to day duty.

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Medical appointments and antenatal check-ups

Do check-ups during pregnancy count as working hours?

Yes, medical appointments during pregnancy count as working hours where they take place during regular working hours and cannot be moved to another time outside them.

Under § 7 MuSchG, the employer has to pay for this time in the same way as normal working hours. That also applies to the antenatal check-ups with the gynaecologist that come round regularly.

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Standing work: how long is it allowed?

How many hours a day may be worked standing up during pregnancy?

Standing for long periods can pose a risk to mother and child. The German Maternity Protection Act requires that expectant mothers must not stand for longer than four hours a day at a stretch. Where possible, seating should be made available.

Where a job consists mainly of standing work (e.g. in retail or hospitality), the employer has to arrange the workplace so that enough sitting and recovery time is possible.

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Section 13 of the German Maternity Protection Act: individual employment bans

What does § 13 MuSchG say?

This section governs the individual employment ban, which is determined by a medical certificate. Where the work puts the health of mother or child at risk (e.g. through stress, shift work or long working hours), the doctor can issue a partial or full employment ban. In that case the employee continues to receive her pay, while the employer has to adjust working conditions accordingly.

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How can I reduce my working hours during pregnancy?

Reducing working hours is possible where:

a doctor recommends it on health grounds,
working conditions do not meet the statutory requirements (e.g. night work),
or overtime is provided for in the employment contract.

Where necessary, employers have to do more than shorten working hours: they also have to adapt the tasks themselves (e.g. removing heavy physical work).

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Why time tracking matters during pregnancy

Accurate documentation of working hours helps you keep within the statutory limits and avoid risks. Many employers rely on digital solutions to record working hours transparently and without gaps.

Example:

With an app like clockin, pregnant employees can record their working hours, break times and medical appointments straightforwardly from their smartphone.
That gives employers a clear overview of whether the legally required 8.5 hours of working time per day and the break rules are being observed.

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clockin as support for employers and pregnant employees

During pregnancy in particular, digital time tracking can take some of the pressure off:

Automatic break rules: the system sends a reminder when required breaks have not been taken.
Traceability: if there is a dispute, working hours are clearly documented.
Flexibility: employers can see more easily whether working hours need to be adjusted to meet the requirements of the German Maternity Protection Act.

That makes clockin a simple and reliable way to put the statutory protective rules into practice transparently, without any extra paperwork.

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Conclusion: working hours under the German Maternity Protection Act at a glance

The German Maternity Protection Act sets clear limits:

a maximum of 8.5 hours of working time per day (including breaks)
no work after 8 pm or on Sundays and public holidays
the right to attend medical appointments during working hours
additional breaks and rest periods where the work is physically demanding.
the option of reducing working hours where the work is physically demanding.

Employers have a duty to observe these rules and to adjust working conditions. With digital time tracking such as clockin, it becomes easier to keep an eye on all the requirements while also ensuring transparency and fairness.