Further Implementation of the Federal Government Agreement: LongAwaited labour measures finally moving forward

This past weekend marked the anniversary of the federal government agreement of 31 January 2025. While implementation started slowly, progress is now clearly picking up. Several measures were already enacted at the end of last year (see our articles: Prevention of long-term absences and reintegration of sick employees and New rules and opportunities for employers in 2026).

On 3 February 2026, the government submitted a new draft law to Parliament, further advancing key labour-law commitments. The draft law intends to introduce the following measures: 
 

Measures relating to working time

• Obligation to list all fulltime schedules in the work regulations will be eased, as employers will be able to set a general workingtime framework. Consultation procedures for changes will also be simplified. 
• Parttime work – lower minimum hours 
  Minimum weekly hours requirement will drop from onethird to onetenth of a fulltime schedule. 
• Night work – modernisation 
  Regulation in respect of night work will be modernized. Specifically for the distribution and related sectors (incl. ecommerce), from 1 April 2026, premiums will only apply between 23:00–06:00 for new employees. In addition, introduction procedures will be simplified, with a specific route for regimes outside 00:00–05:00. 

Measures relating to termination of employment

• Maximum cap on notice periods 
  Employerissued notice period will be capped for contracts starting on or after 1 April 2026. 
• Employability measures – technical adjustments 
  Employability measures for employees with at least 30 weeks’ notice will be further streamlined. 

What’s next?

The proposal is not yet law and will continue through the parliamentary process. Employers seeking more flexibility can already assess how their workingtime arrangements could evolve under the new framework.