Overview

• The DGB advises students to sign a written employment contract before starting any summer job, outlining tasks, hours and compensation.
• Under the Youth Employment Protection Act, 13- and 14-year-olds may work up to two hours daily between 8 am and 6 pm with parental permission.
• Teenagers aged 15 to 17 can hold typical holiday jobs for up to four weeks per year, capped at eight hours per day and 40 hours per week.
• Only full-time students aged 18 or older qualify for Germany’s statutory minimum wage of €12.82 an hour.
• The DGB is calling for the removal of the minor exemption from minimum wage law to ensure fair pay for all student workers.