Travel Time Ruling Adds Millions in Costs for German Employers as Summer Disruptions Mount

A landmark decision from the European Court of Justice in autumn 2025 is putting new financial pressure on German businesses that rely on company-organised group transport. The court ruled that when employers require workers to travel from a base depot to changing job sites together in a company vehicle, that time counts as full working hours (case C-110/24). The ruling hits hardest in trades such as construction, cleaning, handicrafts and field service.

The real costs are already calculable. Since 1 January 2026, Germany’s statutory minimum wage has stood at €13.90 per hour. If travel time is not paid, back-pay claims accumulate quickly. A daily 90-minute commute in a firm’s van, for instance, triggers roughly €20 in extra wages each day. Specialists warn that the limitation period is three years to the end of the calendar year, unless individual employment contracts contain shorter exclusion clauses.

As employers across Europe adjust to new working time rules, ensuring your health & safety documentation is up to date is more important than ever. Many UK companies risk non-compliance with key regulations like COSHH and PUWER, which can lead to costly fines. The free Health & Safety Toolkit from Health & Safety Adviser provides ready-to-use risk assessments, checklists, and tool templates trusted by over 37,000 businesses. Download the free Health & Safety Toolkit

Separately, another workplace trend is forcing changes in how employers handle extreme weather. The IG BAU trade union is reminding companies that when temperatures climb above 30°C, duties kick in: providing drinking water, setting up sun protection and creating shaded rest areas. Some Swiss firms have gone further, cutting the work day to six hours during heatwaves to reduce accident risk. No extra pay is mentioned, but the measure avoids lost productivity from heat-related incidents.

Home office accident coverage has become clearer, thanks to a spring 2026 ruling by the Higher Social Court of Hesse. The court examined two contrasting scenarios. In one, a person working exclusively from home with fixed break times and set deadlines had an accident while shopping during work hours — and was covered. In the other, an employee with fully flexible mobile work arrangements was denied coverage. The key legal test is the “intent to resume work”. Several appeals are now pending before the Federal Social Court.

Infrastructure headaches are compounding the burden on business travel and logistics. A bridge demolition in Bonn, starting in mid-July 2026, has already forced the complete closure of a foreland bridge of the Nordbrücke since early June because of severe damage. Up to 100,000 vehicles a day must be rerouted, causing major delays for regional commercial traffic.

Further south, a long-running alpine transit conflict has received a boost of legal clarity. On 16 July 2026, the Advocate General at the European Court of Justice declared that key Tirol measures — including night driving bans and sectoral truck bans — violate EU law. Only the staggered queuing system at the border is permissible. A final judgment in the dispute between Italy and Austria is not expected until 2027. Transit pressure remains immense: 1.26 million lorries crossed the Tirol passes in the first half of 2026 alone.

Summer travel will add to the strain. On Friday 17 July 2026, North Rhine-Westphalia’s school holidays begin, and traffic clubs predict severe congestion from midday onward, worsened by multiple construction sites. Goods haulage firms must also watch for an expanded Saturday lorry ban in July and August, which further complicates delivery schedules.

en | boerse | 69782354 |