New law on temporary employment

The Bundestag has passed a new law against the misuse of temporary employment and contract work. Temporary workers will receive the same wages as permanent employees after nine months.

The law stipulates that, starting in April 2017, temporary agency workers will receive the same wages as permanent employees after nine months. At the same time, the maximum assignment period is limited to 18 months. However, exceptions are possible in both cases if collective bargaining agreements stipulate otherwise. With the maximum assignment period of 18 months, policymakers hope to increase the number of temporary employees hired by client companies.

Criticism of the law is already being voiced: In a report, the independent Research Service of the Bundestag warns that companies could continue to abuse temporary employment because the law offers too many loopholes.

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The largest proportion of the nearly one million temporary workers in Germany are employed in the fields of transport, logistics, and security. Only the metal and electrical industries have a higher proportion of male temporary workers. In total, temporary workers accounted for 2,6 percent of all employees in Germany in 2015.