Taking a break at work is extremely important. Not only for a healthy body, but also for healthy cooperation. And yet: Simply taking a break is hard work for many people. High stress levels, too many appointments and enormous pressure of expectations make many employees work through their working days completely — huge mistakes! Man is not a machine. Here we have summarized why breaks are worthwhile, what the legislator requires, tips from experts and which tool is as flexible as your break habits.
Labor Law: This is What the Legislator Requires
Not only does your body tell you when it’s time for a break – the law does too. This is clearly regulated in the German Working Hours Act (§ 4 ArbZG):
✅ For working hours between six and nine hours, a minimum break of 30 minutes is mandatory.
✅ For working hours exceeding nine hours, at least 45 minutes of break time is required.
✅ A break must be taken no later than after six hours of work – even for the most dedicated workaholic.
💡 Flexibility with breaks: You can split your break time into several segments, as long as each one is at least 15 minutes long.
ℹ️ Sample calculation:
You start work at 8:00 AM. By 2:00 PM at the latest, you must take a 30-minute break. You can split this break, for example, as follows:
🕛 12:30–12:45 PM → First short break
🕧 1:45–2:00 PM → Second short break
What is a break according to the law?
A break, as defined by the German Working Hours Act (ArbZG), is a clearly designated interruption of working time intended for rest. Important: Smoking breaks do not count as statutory breaks and are therefore not compensated.
Why regular breaks boost productivity
Studies show that regular short breaks significantly enhance concentration, creativity, and performance. Working for extended periods without a break does not increase productivity—instead, it leads to more mistakes and quicker fatigue.
Practical tips for restful breaks:
Get moving → A short walk gets your circulation going.
Get some fresh air → Oxygen supports concentration.
Take screen breaks → Especially important if you work a lot on a computer.
Power nap (10–15 minutes) → Proven to boost cognitive performance.
Business benefits:
🔹 Reduced risk of burnout and fewer sick days
🔹 Higher motivation and improved team morale
🔹 Long-term increase in productivity through more focused work
Automatic break deduction
Recording breaks is a challenge for many companies—especially with flexible work models or remote work. An automated break rule can help here:
Advantages of automatic break deduction:
⚙️ Efficiency → No manual input required, reduced admin effort
🎯 Accuracy → Automated calculation minimizes errors
👥 Transparency → Both employees and employers stay informed
✅ Legal compliance → Ensures adherence to statutory break rules
📌 Modern time tracking systems integrate this function seamlessly and help businesses easily implement legal requirements.
Special regulations: These deviations are allowed!
German labor law allows certain exceptions to the statutory break regulations. Deviations from the legal breaks are permitted under §7 ArbZG if they arise from a collective agreement or works agreement. For specific employee groups, such as executive staff or public service workers, the break regulations under §18 ArbZG do not apply.
Legal consequences: Who is liable in case of violations?
The employer is responsible for ensuring compliance with break regulations. In case of violations, the following may occur:
🚨 Fines of up to €15,000
🚨 Audits by the regional labor protection authorities
🚨 Possible warnings for employees who do not comply with break rules
Employers must monitor adherence to break times—either via electronic time tracking or manual logs.
Comply with legal break regulations using ZEP
The best break policy is useless if it isn’t followed or documented. Due to the Federal Labor Court’s ruling on mandatory time tracking, all working hours (including breaks) must be recorded accurately. Still using Excel sheets or handwritten time logs? Eliminate this stress factor and switch to a modern, web-based time tracking solution.
With ZEP, you can easily track your hours via browser or app - statutory rest and break times are recorded automatically. That means: less stress and more time. As a ZEP user, you don’t have to worry about legal complexities. Our tool’s features are as flexible as your break habits. Configure your workdays in ZEP the way you need while remaining compliant—intuitively.
5 Ultimate ZEP Hacks
1. Automatic break deduction
Want to make sure your employees always take the legally required minimum breaks? Set up automatic break deduction in ZEP Clock. If someone forgets to take part or all of their break, ZEP Clock will automatically deduct the required break from their time account.
2. Run reports in the background
With ZEP Clock, you can analyze employee work times from multiple perspectives. Some reports are needed regularly—run them in the background and schedule automatic delivery to you or your employees, specifying time frame, format, and recipients.
3. Task: Auto clock-out
You know the situation: someone forgets to clock out at the end of the day, and you’re left fixing it afterward. Just set up the task “Auto clock-out for all employees” and ZEP Clock will clock out anyone who forgot—at a set time or after a certain duration. Both you and the affected employee will be notified.
4. Create activity lists in the app
In addition to location tracking, you can also set up an activity list in the ZEP Clock app to track exactly what employees are doing. You decide what options are available—e.g., “Office”, “Home Office”, or even creative ones like “Client Visit”, “Client A”, “Client B”. Employees select an activity when clocking in, and you can analyze time based on those categories.
5. Exclude time with fixed breaks
Want to prevent employees from logging hours before their actual start time? Use “Fixed breaks” in the break settings. For example, if you set a break from 2 AM to 8 AM, and someone clocks in at 7:30 AM for coffee, their work time won’t start until 8:00 AM.
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6 Signs You Need a Break
Your body sends unmistakable signals when it’s time to take a break. Pay closer attention to your internal “engine” to prevent burnout and other (health-related) consequences.
It’s time for a break if:
🤔 You can’t concentrate.
😡 You’re irritable.
😞 You feel unmotivated.
😴 You’re constantly tired.
😕 You’ve lost your ambition.
🙁 You’re making mistakes.
Conclusion
Regular breaks aren’t a waste of time – they’re essential for your health, focus, and long-term productivity. Legal requirements provide clear structure, but only with efficient implementation in everyday work can breaks reach their full potential.
Companies that rely on digital time tracking solutions like ZEP benefit from greater transparency, automated break management, and legally compliant documentation. This way, complying with statutory break regulations becomes less of a burden—and more of a real competitive advantage.
