| Abstract: | Summary Overtime hours were worked in Germany during the period 1990–1997 primarily by well-qualified blue-collar and white-collar
workers. In addition, it is evident that overtime is increasingly being compensated by flexible leisure schedules. The scope
for potential employment effects from a reduction of paid overtime is thus constantly decreasing and is much lower than the
figures cited by unions in the current discussion. If the regulations to make working time more flexible being discussed in
the “Alliance for Jobs’ were to be implemented, this would reinforce the observed trend towards compensation for overtime
through leisure, further diminishing the potential employment effects. If the bargaining parties or the legislators would
implement a reduction of overtime nonetheless, well-qualified blue-collar and white-collar workers in western Germany will
suffer income losses. |
