Working Hours
Flexitime
Employees at Freie Universität Berlin who are represented by the Staff Council: Dahlem must observe the following regulations on working hours.
Freie Universität Berlin has a flexible working policy. Under this policy, all employees must observe certain core working hours – the regular working hours when you are expected to be in the office/working remotely – but may also begin and/or end their working day at any time during the flexible working hours specified below.
Core Working Hours Mon-Thu 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Fri 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Flexible Hours Mon-Fri 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m
For those employed in public service (Tarifbeschäftige), full-time, average regular weekly working hours are currently 39.40 hours excluding breaks. This works out to an average of 8 hours and 23 minutes a day, including breaks.
For civil servants (Beamte/Beamtinnen), an average weekly working time of 40 hours applies (average daily working hours including breaks = 8 hours 30 minutes).
Employees who are exempted from the usual working time regulations due to working a special schedule (shifts or alternating shifts) are subject to other regulations set out in the collective agreement. Shift plans and schedules are agreed in consultation with the local staff council.
Breaks are permitted according to German working time regulations as follows:
Daily working hours of up to 6 hours: none
6-9 hours: 30 minutes
More than 9 hours: 45 minutes
Details on working hours and breaks are set out in the staff circulars (Personalblatt 10/2004 and 02/2017).
A different working hours agreement applies to employees based at the Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum (BGBM). Details of the collective agreement and arrangements can be viewed on the website of the BGBM staff council, or can be obtained from the head of administration.
Overtime/Compensation Hours
“Overtime” is defined as hours worked at the request of the organization that exceed your usual agreed regular working hours for the week. The regulations relating to overtime are governed by a variety of legal provisions, depending on your status (e.g., employee or civil servant) and/or budgetary requirements. Overtime must therefore be requested in writing by the relevant section of the personnel department.
The staff council responsible for the employee who is to work the overtime may make use of its right to veto or amend the request.
Supervisors who wish their staff to work paid overtime hours must apply to the personnel department well in advance, if possible, stating the number of overtime hours to be worked and the agreement of the staff member(s) concerned in writing.
Current information on the 2023 employee survey can be found here. Details on the negotiations regarding the policy under collective agreement for flexible working hours and home office ('DV Flex') are available here (in German only).