Guides
Break rules: how long a break do you need?
If you work more than six hours in Germany or Austria, you need a break of at least 30 minutes. In Switzerland the rule starts earlier, and in Croatia the break even counts as working time. Here is what applies where.
Statutory minimum breaks at a glance
| Country | Working time → minimum break |
|---|---|
| Germany | more than 6 hours: 30 minutes more than 9 hours: 45 minutes Working Hours Act (ArbZG) § 4, can be split into parts of at least 15 minutes |
| Austria | more than 6 hours: 30 minutes Working Time Act (AZG) § 11, can be split into 2 × 15 or 3 × 10 minutes if it suits the employees or the business needs it |
| Switzerland | more than 5½ hours: 15 minutes more than 7 hours: 30 minutes more than 9 hours: 1 hour Labour Act (ArG) Art. 15, breaks over 30 minutes may be split |
| Croatia | at least 6 hours: 30 minutes, counted as working time Labour Act (Zakon o radu) Art. 73 |
Break calculator
What counts as a break
- A break is time in which you neither work nor have to stand by. Short interruptions at your workstation usually do not count.
- The break belongs inside the working day, not at its start or end. In Germany you may work at most six hours in a row.
- In Germany, Austria and Switzerland the break is unpaid and does not count as working time. In Switzerland it does count if you are not allowed to leave your workplace. In Croatia the 30 minutes always count as working time.
How Mark My Hours records your breaks
If you step out over lunch and come back in time, the time away becomes a break. You set a break window for your usual lunch time. If you recorded no break, the app asks, and if you like it takes your country's statutory minimum break into account.
Frequent questions
How long a break for 8 hours of work?
Germany and Austria: at least 30 minutes. Switzerland: 30 minutes as well, because it is more than 7 hours. Croatia: 30 minutes, counted as working time.
Do I need a break for exactly 6 hours?
Not in Germany or Austria: the rule starts above 6 hours. In Switzerland you need 15 minutes from more than 5½ hours, in Croatia 30 minutes from 6 hours.
Can I skip the break and leave earlier?
No. The minimum break is mandatory, even if you would rather leave earlier. It is meant for rest and cannot be moved to the end of the day.
Record breaks without thinking about them
Mark My Hours notices when you arrive at work and when you leave, and writes your hours down on its own. At the end of the month you send your proof of hours as a PDF.
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Not legal advice; as of October 2026. Collective agreements and your employment contract may set different rules.