Working hours in logistics: what applies to warehouse staff and drivers

Two sets of rules in one business

In a freight business, people work under different rules. For the warehouse, handling and the office, the Working Hours Act applies as everywhere. For drivers and co-drivers in activities within the meaning of EU Regulation 561/2006, it applies with the deviations in section 21a ArbZG, and driving times, breaks from driving and rest periods follow that regulation (section 21a(1) and (5) ArbZG).

Drivers: 48 hours, up to 60

For drivers, the law thinks in weeks rather than days. 48 hours a week are the rule, 60 are allowed if the average over four calendar months or 16 weeks stays at 48 (section 21a(4) ArbZG). Working time includes not only driving but also loading, unloading, vehicle care and paperwork.

Waiting times are a special case. If someone has to stand by at the ramp or on call and the expected duration is known in advance, this time does not count as working time. It is, however, neither a break nor a rest period (section 21a(3) ArbZG). If the duration is not known in advance, it remains working time.

Anyone who also drives for another employer has to disclose that time: you request the statement in writing, and the person provides it in writing (section 21a(8) ArbZG). Only both times together show whether the 48 hours are kept.

Sunday in the warehouse and transport

On Sundays, work stops in principle (section 9(1) ArbZG). There are exceptions for transport operations and for transporting and picking perishable goods (section 10(1) no. 10 ArbZG), and even there only where the work cannot be done on working days. An ordinary warehouse with non-perishable goods does not fall under this. For drivers, the start of Sunday rest can be brought forward by up to two hours (section 9(3) ArbZG).

Records under section 2a SchwarzArbG and section 21a ArbZG

The freight, transport and logistics trade is listed in section 2a SchwarzArbG, expressly including platform-based delivery services. Section 17 MiLoG follows, in the warehouse and behind the wheel: the start, end and duration of daily working time by the end of the seventh calendar day, kept for two years. Everyone carries their ID.

Under section 1 of the Minimum Wage Documentation Ordinance, the only exemptions are employees whose regular monthly pay exceeds 4,461 euros gross, or 2,974 euros if it has demonstrably been paid for the last twelve full months, and spouses, registered partners, children and parents of the employer who work in the business. For driving staff, section 21a(7) ArbZG applies regardless.

For driving staff, section 21a(7) ArbZG additionally requires recording the entire working time, keeping it for two years and giving the person a copy on request. The tachograph records driving and rest times. Loading, waiting and warehouse work before and after the round also belong to working time, however, and have to be in the same record.

Logistics in the customs inspection statistics

In 2025 the Financial Monitoring Unit for Illicit Employment checked 2,323 employers in the freight, transport and logistics trade and 23,053 persons. Since 1 January 2026 the minimum wage has been 13.90 euros per hour.

One working time for warehouse and round

In MetronHR the warehouse clocks in at the terminal with an NFC card and drivers via the app, even without reception: the app stores locally and transfers once there is a connection again. The time is in the system to the minute, without rounding, and the time account runs across warehouse and round. MetronHR does not replace the tachograph, it records working time alongside it.

In the roster of the Professional plan, MetronHR reports before publication when the configured rest period, the daily or weekly limit or the maximum number of consecutive working days is exceeded. At the end of the month, hours per person are in the monthly Excel overview and in the payroll file for DATEV.