Employees are legally entitled to reduce their working hours whether they have health issues or not. (The part-time and temporary work act, whose title is abbreviated TzBfG, specifies this.)

However, this entitlement is restricted to employees who have been in post for longer than 6 months and whose employer has more than 15 employees. And even when these requirements are met, the employer is not obliged to comply with the employee’s wish to work shorter hours. They can refuse for operational reasons.

If you are refused a reduction in your working hours, you should approach the employees’ council (Betriebsrat or Personalrat) at your company and ask them to support you.

Comprehensive information about part-time working is available in a booklet produced by the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.

For free advice on labor law you can call the Ministry’s citizen phone line.

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