German Workers Bear Brunt of Rising Heat as Union Chief Pushes for State Compensation
Published on 07/22/2026 at 08:22 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
BERLIN — Yasmin Fahimi, chair of the German Trade Union Federation (DGB), is calling on lawmakers to introduce a statutory heat-related compensation payment for employees, as scorching summer temperatures increasingly disrupt productivity and endanger health across the country.
Economic losses from extreme heat are mounting. A new analysis by the Prognos Institute calculates that each single day above 30 degrees Celsius costs the German economy roughly 431 million euros. The overwhelming share — 97 percent — stems from lost productivity, not direct damage.
A DGB survey of around 4,000 workers reveals the human toll. One in three employees reports feeling severely impacted by heat on the job. The burden is heaviest for outdoor laborers: 58 percent of those working more than six hours daily in open-air conditions say they suffer under the heat.
Time pressure compounds the problem. Among respondents working under deadlines, 48 percent described heat as a major strain. That figure drops to 23 percent for those without tight schedules. Inside non-air-conditioned buildings, nearly half of all workers find the situation problematic.
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Fahimi argues that financial relief must be part of a broader strategy. She is urging employers to pair compensation with practical steps such as installing shade, providing drinking water, and relaxing dress codes.
Some trades have already negotiated their own solutions. Roofers have secured a heat-loss payment equal to 75 percent of their hourly wage for up to 53 hours per year. Since May 1, 2026, scaffolders have a similar deal covering May through August, with up to 50 lost hours compensated at the same rate.
For office environments, legal thresholds are clear. Employers must take action once indoor temperatures hit 30 degrees — measures include early-morning ventilation and free water supplies. At 35 degrees, a workspace is deemed unfit for work unless protective steps are in place.
The Construction and Agriculture Union (IG BAU) promotes what it calls the WSS rule: water, sunscreen, shade. For heavy physical labor outdoors, it recommends three to five liters of fluid daily and reapplication of SPF 50 sunscreen every two hours.
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The heat-protection debate arrives as Germany pushes through a broader overhaul of labor law. In early July 2026, the federal government unveiled a reform package that includes tightening sick-note rules. Employers would be allowed to demand a doctor’s certificate from the first day of illness, and phone-based sick notes would be scrapped.
A June 2026 survey found that 72 percent of employed people feel pressured to justify their sick leave.
Separately, the government plans to amend the Working Hours Act. Electronic time tracking would become mandatory. The current daily cap of ten hours would be replaced by a weekly average limit of 48 hours, potentially allowing shifts up to 12 hours long — provided the mandatory 11-hour rest period is respected.
Other proposed changes would let fixed-term contracts run up to four years with six renewal options. For high-earning employees with gross annual salaries above 177,500 euros, dismissal protection would be loosened — potentially as early as 2027 — making it easier for employers to end the relationship with a severance payment.
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