Overview

• Employers must keep indoor air temperatures below 26 °C and activate cooling steps above 30 °C, with any workspace exceeding 35 °C deemed unusable.
• Despite no general right to “hitzefrei,” roofing firms can claim Ausfallgeld covering 75 % of wages for up to 53 heat-related cancellation hours per year.
• Outdoor workers are entitled to water and shaded rest areas, but the German Trade Union Confederation has flagged uneven compliance and called for more inspections.
• Tenants may seek rent reductions up to 20 % when indoor temperatures impair contractual use, though outcomes depend on building age, floor level and court precedents.
• Residents can install non-permanent heat shields like reflective window films and thermorollos without landlord approval, but structural modifications require consent.