Mobile working

As in the office, the Working Hours Act applies when working from home. This means:

• Working hours on weekdays may not exceed 8 hours per day.
• Exceptionally, working hours may be extended to 10 hours, provided that compensation is provided within six months.
• Statutory break times must also be observed when working from home. You may work a maximum of 6 hours without a break.
• Individual breaks must last at least 15 minutes.
• An uninterrupted rest period of 11 hours must be observed between the end of the working day and the next working day.

Even if you have agreed trust-based working hours with your employer, the company is responsible for complying with these rules.

According to a ruling by the Federal Labor Court* (2022), the start, end and duration of working hours must be recorded electronically on a daily basis. Your employer is obliged to provide a system or tool for this purpose. This is to ensure better health and safety at work.

*) Source: BMAS

Employees can approach their employer at any time with a request for mobile working, but there is no legal entitlement. In practice, however, many companies offer their employees the opportunity to work remotely.

Many parents are familiar with the situation: juggling everyday family life at home between emails, childcare and coffee breaks. But what happens if an accident occurs?

Statutory accident insurance protects you - but only within the scope of your professional activity. In concrete terms, this means:

• You are covered if, for example, you check the internet connection in the basement and fall.
• You are not covered, however, if you sprain your ankle on the way to the coffee machine - because this counts as a "personal economic activity", i.e. something private.

Going to the toilet or doing a little house cleaning during your lunch break also do not count as working time - and are therefore not covered by statutory accident insurance.

Yes. According to a ruling by the Federal Social Court* (2021), the first journey in the morning from your bed to your home office is a legally insured journey to work - as long as you are actually on your way with the aim of starting work. This means that if you can credibly demonstrate that you were going to the office and not to the breakfast table first, the accident on this route is considered an accident at work.

*) Source: BSG

Data protection is an important issue in mobile working - and it affects you just as much as any other employee. In principle, the responsibility for data protection lies with the employer. Nevertheless, you should bear these things in mind:

• Only use employer devices for work-related tasks - preferably with separate user accounts.
• Work with a secure LAN connection - an open WLAN harbors risks.
• VPN connections offer security when accessing company data.
• Avoid storing data on USB sticks or local hard drives. It is better to use secure cloud or server solutions from your company.
• Make sure that your children do not have access to work devices - even if it is sometimes tempting to briefly release the laptop for an educational game. A separate device or account for private purposes helps to protect professional data.

Working on the train, in a café, in a co-working office or while traveling can be practical - but also risky for data protection: others can catch a glimpse of your screen. There is also a risk of confidential phone calls being overheard.

If you are often on the move, it is best to use a privacy screen protector for your laptop and find a shielded seat if possible. Wear headphones with a microphone for phone calls - this reduces the volume and protects the person you are talking to.

What sounds perfect on paper often looks different in reality for parents. It's not always easy to juggle work and family life without stress. That's why it's all the more important to consciously create time slots and routines when working from home. These practical tips can help to create structures and make transitions between work and family life clearer:

• Make a plan in the evening that prioritizes your tasks for the coming day and leave room for the unexpected.
• Start the working day with a digital coffee with colleagues.
• Use quiet time slots consciously for tasks that require more concentration.
• Plan breaks actively and take them seriously - without a guilty conscience. Short breaks are important to recharge your batteries. If you feel like you're constantly "on", you'll quickly reach your exhaustion threshold.
• Evening time means closing your laptop for real.
• Share your tips and experiences with other working parents working from home. This can help take a lot of pressure off you.
• If things aren't going well: talk to your team and your manager. An open-minded employer knows what mobile working with children means and will respond with understanding.