Part-time jobs for students ages 13 and up

• Delivering newspapers, magazines, classified ad papers, and promotional flyers
• Household and yard work
• Errands
• Babysitting
• Tutoring
• Pet Sitting
• Shopping, excluding alcoholic beverages and tobacco
• Assistance with sports activities
• Activities related to non-commercial campaigns and events organized by churches, religious communities, associations, clubs, and political parties

• Assistance with harvesting and field work
• Activities related to the direct marketing of agricultural products
• Caring for the animals

• Work involving lifting, setting down, pushing, pulling, carrying, or moving loads that regularly exceed 7.5 kg or occasionally exceed the maximum load weight of 10 kg
• Activities that are physically taxing due to an unfavorable body posture
• Activities associated with the risk of accidents

These are the most important rules that apply to children over the age of 13: 

• Children may not work more than two hours on a maximum of 5 weekdays.  
• An exception applies to family-run farms. In these cases, employment for up to 3 hours per day is permitted.  
• Employment may not take place between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. 
• Employment may also not take place before school starts or during school hours.

The regulations are somewhat relaxed for young people aged 15 and older. In that case, the following rules apply under the Youth Labor Protection Act: 

• Working hours may not exceed 40 hours per week. 
• Working hours must be between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. The following legally regulated exceptions apply, among others: Anyone over the age of 16 working in the restaurant industry may work until 10:00 p.m., and in establishments operating on a multi-shift basis, even until 11:00 p.m. 
• If working hours exceed 4.5 hours, a total break time of 30 minutes must be guaranteed. If the work shift exceeds 6 hours, the total break time must be at least 60 minutes. No single break may be shorter than 15 minutes. 
• There is a general prohibition on working on Saturdays and Sundays. However, there are exceptions to this rule, including, among others: work in hospitals and nursing homes, in retail establishments such as bakeries, supermarkets, newsstands, and the like, in the restaurant industry, in sports, and in repair shops is permitted. At least two Saturdays must remain work-free, and two Sundays must remain work-free. If young people are permitted, as an exception, to work on a weekend or a holiday provided the legal requirements are met, they are entitled to another day off during the same week. 
• The work must be appropriate to the physical and mental abilities of the young people.  
• The regular handling of heavy loads is prohibited. Unfavorable postures at work that could be harmful to health are also not permitted. Assembly line and piecework are also prohibited.
• Young people may only work in areas that are safe. This excludes all activities associated with the risk of accidents or involving noise, hazardous substances, or extreme heat or cold. Activities that pose moral risks are also excluded.
• Important: Parents or legal guardians must give their explicit consent to the employment!

The Youth Labor Protection Act governs whether children and adolescents are permitted to work and at what age they may do so. As a general rule, children are prohibited from working. However, students aged 13 and older may perform light, age-appropriate tasks with their parents’ consent—for example, tutoring, babysitting, or delivering newspapers. Working hours are limited to a maximum of 2 hours per day.

A typical summer job is permitted starting at age 15. During school breaks, school-age youths may work up to 4 weeks per year. Clear guidelines apply: Working more than 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week is not permitted. Night shifts are generally prohibited, as are—with few exceptions—activities on Sundays and holidays.

Not always. The Youth Labor Protection Act provides for special regulations in certain occupational sectors. These include, among others, the restaurant industry, agriculture, the healthcare sector, and the baking trade. In these sectors, young people may also be employed on weekends or holidays under certain conditions. Anyone who is at least 16 years old and works in the restaurant industry may also work until 10:00 p.m.

Adequate rest is an essential part of a safe workday. That is why the law mandates rest breaks. Anyone who works between 4.5 and 6 hours is entitled to at least a 30-minute break. For work shifts longer than 6 hours, the break must be at least 1 hour.

Summer jobs must not endanger the health of young people or place excessive physical demands on them. For this reason, dangerous work or activities with a high risk of accidents are prohibited for minors. Piecework or assembly-line work is also not permitted.

Before a summer job begins, the employer must also inform the young person about potential hazards in the workplace and explain how accidents can be prevented.

Yes. During a summer job, employees are generally covered by statutory accident insurance through their employer. Young people are usually not required to pay social security contributions for summer employment.