(de-news.net) – The Confederation of German Employers’ Associations (BDA) has issued a formal appeal to the Federal Government, urging a comprehensive reassessment of statutory working time provisions. The association underscored the necessity of enhancing flexibility not only in the structure of the traditional eight-hour workday but also in the regulation of mandatory rest periods. This position was articulated by BDA President Rainer Dulger in an interview with the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung, where he called for adjustments that would better reflect the evolving realities of professional and personal life.
Dulger reportedly argued that existing legal constraints fail to accommodate the dynamic conditions of contemporary labor. He suggested that the current rest period regulations offer some scope for further liberalization. In response to concerns raised by trade unions — namely, that increased flexibility might lead to excessive workloads for employees — Dulger reportedly dismissed such apprehensions as exaggerated. He questioned the rationale behind opposing longer working hours on individual days if they could be offset within the same week, implying that union criticisms may lack proportionality.
Furthermore, Dulger clarified that the BDA’s proposal does not seek to alter the statutory ceiling of 48 working hours per week. Rather, the initiative aims to recalibrate daily work structures in a manner that aligns more closely with shifting socio-economic conditions. He emphasized that the objective is not to extend overall working hours, but to facilitate a more adaptable framework responsive to the realities of contemporary life.