Mini-job limits (€520 / 120 days)

What is a mini-job?

A mini-job (marginal employment) is a form of employment in Germany that benefits from preferential social-security treatment. There are two variants:

€520 mini-job (marginal earnings threshold)

Maximum monthly pay: €538 (as of 2024, dynamically linked to the minimum wage — historically known as the €520 threshold)
At a minimum wage of €12.41 this corresponds to roughly 43.3 hours per month
Annual limit: €6,456 (12 × €538), exceeding it twice in an unforeseeable manner is permitted

Short-term employment (120-day rule)

A maximum of 3 months or 70 working days per calendar year (formerly 120 days under the pandemic special rule)
No earnings limit, but strictly time-limited
Must not be carried out as a profession

How Shiftdesk warns

In the employee master data under Employees → [Name] → Contract you can enable the is_minijob checkbox. Once set, Shiftdesk checks:

Check	Behavior
Monthly gross pay	Warning from 90 % of the threshold, error when exceeded
Hours worked in the month	Projection using the current hourly wage
Annual total	Cumulative earnings overview in the compliance report

For short-term employment, additionally enter the end date of the fixed term. Shiftdesk warns as the 70-day limit is approached.

Note

Mini-job thresholds change regularly along with the statutory minimum wage. When in doubt, consult a tax advisor or the Minijob-Zentrale — Shiftdesk does not replace legal or tax advice.

Legal disclaimer — no warranty

Shiftdesk helps you organize working hours, shifts and staff data. The notices shown here on the German Working Hours Act (ArbZG), the Federal Leave Act (BUrlG), the minimum wage, Minijob thresholds, tax and social-security topics, and country-specific rules in Germany, Austria and Switzerland are intended solely as informational guidance. They do not constitute legal advice, tax advice or social-security advice within the meaning of § 2 of the Legal Services Act (§ 2 RDG).

Collective agreements, works agreements, industry-specific exemptions (for example under § 5 (2) ArbZG) and cantonal or country-specific rules may deviate from the standard values shown here. Statutory thresholds (e.g. the minimum wage or the Minijob earnings limit) change regularly; we accept no warranty as to their accuracy or completeness.

For binding information, please consult a specialist lawyer, a tax advisor, a payroll service provider or the Minijob-Zentrale. Liability for decisions made on the basis of these notices is excluded to the extent permitted by law.

Break rules in DACH (DE/AT/CH)

11-hour rest period between shifts

German Working Hours Act (ArbZG) basics

The German Working Hours Act (ArbZG) sets the framework for working hours, breaks, and rest periods. It applies to almost all dependently employed people in Germany. Shiftdesk automatically checks schedules against the most important provisions as a plausibility aid.

Break rules in DACH (DE/AT/CH)

Break rules differ between Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Shiftdesk takes the country of each Location into account and validates breaks automatically as a plausibility aid.

Using the compliance checker in the dashboard

The compliance checker continuously reviews your schedules against applicable labor law. You reach it via the main navigation:

11-hour rest period between shifts

Under **§5 of the German Working Hours Act**, there must be an uninterrupted **rest period of at least 11 hours** between the end of one work shift and the start of the next. This rule protects employees from overwork and safeguards recovery.

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