Overview
- The SPD leadership put the idea into reform talks with the Union on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, proposing to raise the legal floor for full-time employees from 20 to 21 days a year.
- The change would only affect workers who receive the statutory minimum and not those covered by collective agreements, with the WSI estimate cited in coverage putting the affected group at about four million people.
- Most employees already receive more than the legal minimum, with an average reported entitlement around 28.3 days and a separate public-sector deal raising leave to 31 days from 2027.
- The Federal Labour Ministry and the Union declined to comment in the reports, and any change would first need agreement in the political talks followed by formal legislation to take effect.
- Business groups warned the extra day would add costs and scheduling burdens for employers, while for affected workers the change would mean a small but guaranteed increase in paid rest time.