Legal Rights to Part-Time Work (Teilzeit) in Germany
Under the German **Part-Time and Fixed-Term Employment Act (TzBfG)**, employees have a legal right to request a reduction in their working hours if:
For detailed calculations, you can use our free part-time calculator.
- The employment relationship has existed for more than **6 months**.
- The employer regularly employs **more than 15 employees**.
- The request is submitted in writing at least **3 months** before the desired start date.
Bridge Part-Time Work (Brückenteilzeit)
Since 2019, employees can request **bridge part-time work (Brückenteilzeit)**, allowing them to temporarily reduce hours for a period of **1 to 5 years** and automatically return to their original full-time contract afterwards. This applies to employers with **more than 45 employees**.
Calculating Your Part-Time Salary
Gross salary is reduced proportionally to the hours worked:
Part-Time Gross = Full-Time Gross × (Part-Time Hours ÷ Full-Time Hours)
Due to the progressive tax system in Germany (Steuerprogression), a 25% reduction in gross salary results in a **smaller than 25% drop in net salary** because the tax rate decreases at lower income levels.
Calculating Holiday Entitlement (Urlaubsanspruch)
If you work fewer days per week, your vacation days are converted proportionally to ensure you get the same number of weeks of rest. The formula is:
Holiday Days = (Workdays per Week ÷ 5) × Full-Time Vacation Days
| Workdays per Week | Statutory Minimum (Days) | At 30 Days Full-Time Contract | Equivalent Weeks of Vacation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Days (Full-time) | 20 days | 30 days | 6 weeks |
| 4 Days | 16 days | 24 days | 6 weeks |
| 3 Days | 12 days | 18 days | 6 weeks |
The Pension Pitfall: Long-Term Impacts on Retirement
Future statutory pension benefits are based on **pension points (Entgeltpunkte)**. Earning exactly the average national salary (approx. 45,500 € in 2026) awards 1 point per year. Working 50% part-time awards 0.5 points. Since one pension point is worth about 39.32 €/month in pension (as of 2024), **10 years of 50% part-time work reduces your lifelong monthly pension by approx. 197 €**.
Sources: TzBfG, BUrlG, SGB VI, Federal Ministry of Labor, as of 2026.