Duty roster and hours under control, even when the place is packed
Hospitality has stricter recording duties than most industries. MetronHR meets them in passing while the team plans, swaps and clocks in.
- Recorded within seven days, automatically
- Replacement rest days and rest periods are checked along the way
- Plan and swaps run on the team's phones
In short
Hospitality is named in section 2a SchwarzArbG. The seven-day deadline of section 17 MiLoG therefore applies to all employees, not just to mini-jobbers.
Legal position
What is different in hospitality
Most businesses only have to keep separate records for mini-jobbers. In hospitality the duty applies to every employee, and on top of that come rules that do not exist in an office.
- Deadline for recording
- 7 calendar days
- Retention
- 2 years
- Fine range
- up to 30,000 euros
- Work-free Sundays per year
- at least 15
Section 17 MiLoG applies to the entire workforce
The start, end and duration of daily working time must be recorded no later than seven calendar days after the working day and kept for two years.
The reason is not in the Minimum Wage Act but in section 2a (1) no. 2 SchwarzArbG: hospitality and accommodation are named there explicitly, and section 17 (1) MiLoG builds on that. In a trade business with no link to section 2a, the separate recording duty covers only marginally employed staff; here it covers everyone.
Sunday work is allowed, but not free of charge
Restaurants may open on Sundays. In return at least 15 Sundays a year must remain work-free, and every Sunday worked needs a replacement rest day within two weeks.
The exemption is in section 10 (1) no. 4 ArbZG, the quid pro quo in section 11 (1) and (3) ArbZG. In practice the replacement rest day is the thing most often overlooked, because it does not stand out in the weekly roster but only in the annual review.
The rest period may drop to ten hours, but not without consequences
In restaurants the rest period may be shortened by one hour to ten if every reduction is compensated by another rest period of at least twelve hours.
Section 5 (2) ArbZG allows this. The compensation must happen within one calendar month or four weeks. With split shifts covering lunch and dinner service that is the rule rather than the exception, which is exactly why it has to be tracked as you go.
Trainees under 18 may work until 10 pm
Young people over 16 may be employed in hospitality until 10 pm. For all other young people the day ends at 8 pm.
The exemption is in section 14 (2) no. 1 JArbSchG. If vocational school starts before 9 am the next day, employment on the previous day still ends at 8 pm. Anyone writing the roster without this rule regularly schedules the trainee too late.
Further reading:Section 2a (1) no. 2 SchwarzArbG · Section 17 (1) MiLoG, section 21 (1) no. 7 MiLoG · Section 5 (2) ArbZG, section 10 (1) no. 4 ArbZG, section 11 (1) and (3) ArbZG · Section 14 (2) no. 1 JArbSchG
As at:September 2026. This is not legal advice; for a specific case in your business it is better to ask someone with a licence to practise.
The roster hangs on the fridge, the hours are in someone's head
In hospitality a lot is decided at short notice: the weather, reservations, sick calls. The recording duty knows nothing of that short notice.
The slip only gets typed up at the end of the month
By then the seven-day deadline in section 17 MiLoG has passed before anyone entered the first figure.
Split shifts eat into the rest period
Lunch service until 3 pm, dinner service from 5 pm, finish at 1 am, back again at 11 am the next day. That is ten hours of rest and needs compensating.
Replacement rest days fall through the cracks
Anyone working on a Sunday needs a replacement rest day within two weeks. You cannot see that in the weekly plan, but an inspector can.
The plan checks itself
Shifts sit on the phone, clocking happens at the terminal or in the app, and the record is created along the way. Rest periods, replacement rest days and maximum working time are checked when assigning, not in hindsight.
Recorded the same day
The seven-day deadline is met before it even starts running.
Features for hospitality businesses
Tailored to split shifts, changing staffing and casual workers.
Clock in at the terminal or via the app
The record is created while you work
A terminal in the staff corridor or the app on your own phone. Start, end and break land directly in the record that section 17 MiLoG requires.
Split shifts as a template
Lunch and dinner planned in one go
Two blocks on the same day with the break in between, stored as a shift template instead of being created twice every day.
Rest periods and replacement rest days in view
The breach shows up while planning, not during an inspection
Shortened rest periods under section 5 (2) ArbZG are counted and their compensation tracked. Sundays worked get their replacement rest day assigned.
Mini-job threshold and hours account
No back payments because a threshold was breached
Hours worked per casual employee live, with a warning before the earnings threshold is reached for the month or the year.
Swaps and sick calls on the phone
No more phone calls during service
The team offers shifts for swapping and calls in sick in the app, and every change goes through your approval.
For the roles in the business
Kitchen, service and management need different things from the same system.
Inspection-proof, without a ring binder
If customs turns up, the records must be complete for two years, in German and held in Germany.
Every working day is recorded with start, end and duration, corrections are logged, and exporting a period takes seconds.
Shift on the phone, clocking in two seconds
When am I off next week, and how many hours have I already worked this month?
Your own plan, your own hours account and swaps with colleagues all run in the same app.
Frequently asked questions from hospitality
What hospitality businesses most often ask about recording and rosters.
Yes. Hospitality and accommodation are named in section 2a (1) no. 2 SchwarzArbG, and section 17 (1) MiLoG builds on that. The duty therefore applies to all employees of the business, regardless of earnings.
No. You adjust the number of licences yourself every month, up and down, without asking and without a minimum term. The lower limit is the number of seats currently occupied. Anyone working seasonally with casual staff books them for the months in which they work.
No later than seven calendar days after the day worked. The documents are kept for two years, counted from the point relevant for the record.
In restaurants yes, by up to one hour to ten (section 5 (2) ArbZG). But every reduction must be compensated within one calendar month or four weeks by another rest period of at least twelve hours.
At least 15 in the calendar year (section 11 (1) ArbZG). For every Sunday worked, a replacement rest day within two weeks is added (section 11 (3) ArbZG).
Those over 16 may work in hospitality until 10 pm, otherwise until 8 pm (section 14 (2) no. 1 JArbSchG). If vocational school starts before 9 am the next day, 8 pm applies to them too.
Question not answered here? Every step is explained in the help centre.
Other industries
Care
Care facilities are the only industry with two special routes on rest periods, and since the ECJ ruling standby duty counts in full as working time.
ViewHotels
Reception around the clock, housekeeping in the morning, breakfast from five. Three rhythms in one house, and accommodation falls under section 2a SchwarzArbG.
ViewSecurity services
Every post is tied to a qualification, every security officer to a reliability check, and the security industry is named in section 2a SchwarzArbG.
ViewRecording duty met, without a single slip of paper
MetronHR records every shift with start, end and duration, checks rest periods and keeps the records available for two years. Try it free for 14 days.
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