Important information on the subject of work and health during harvesting
If you are temporarily employed in agriculture as a harvest worker in Germany, you will find a brief overview of the most important rights and obligations that apply to you here.
Here is a brief overview of the labour rights that apply to you:
General overview:
https://www.arbeitsagentur.de/datei/seasonal-work-in-germany_ba036400.pdf
Even if you only work in Germany for a short time, you are entitled to an employment contract from the first day. This must contain at least the following information
- Name and address of you and your employer
- Start and expected duration of the employment relationship
- Place of work
- Description of the work
- Amount of pay and allowances, if any, and when they are due - Agreed working hours, including a guaranteed minimum working time
- Duration of leave
- Notice periods for termination of the employment relationship
- Reference to applicable collective agreements
Here you can also find a model employment contract:
https://www.arbeitsagentur.de/datei/en-formular-musterarbeitsvertrag-landwirtschaft_ba034940.pdf
You can also use this if you have not yet been provided with one.
Important: The employment contract must be signed by both sides (employer and employee)!
As a harvest worker, you are generally subject to German labour and occupational health and safety law.
You can find out how much may be charged for accommodation, for example, in your language here: https://www.faire-mobilitaet.de/landwirtschaft
Here you can find a sample accommodation contract:
https://www.arbeitsagentur.de/datei/muster-unterkunftsvertrag_ba034945.pdf
- If you are covered by health insurance in your home country and have an A1 certificate, you are thereby also covered for your seasonal work. Please take your European Health Insurance Card with you.
- If you are an employed person subject to compulsory social insurance in Germany, you are also covered in case of illness.
- If you are employed on a short-term basis - which is possible for up to three months or 70 days - you are not automatically covered by health insurance.
- As of 1 January 2022, you must have health insurance cover as a seasonal worker.
- If you are not covered elsewhere, your employer will normally take out a private group health insurance policy for you. Your employer bears the costs in most cases. If your employer fails to do this, you must both agree to this beforehand.
TIP: Please make sure you find out about your health insurance status before entering Germany.
You are entitled to the minimum wage of 12.00 euros per hour (gross). This also applies to piecework or piecework wages. This means that even if you are paid piecework, the hourly wage may not be less than 12.00 euros (gross) per hour. Of course, if you have harvested so many boxes in one hour that you earn more than the minimum hourly wage, the employer must pay you more accordingly.
We recommend that you make a note of your contacts and the number of hours worked each day.
You can find important information on the topic of work and working conditions in your language here or on the page https://www.fair-arbeiten.eu/de/article/9.in-der-landwirtschaft.html.
• You need to report the accident to your employer.
• If the accident happens at work, the agricultural accident insurance will cover treatment costs and possible follow-up costs.
The Social Insurance for Agriculture, Forestry and Horticulture (SVLFG) provides information and advisory services on health and safety at work free of charge for harvest workers (more languages available):
www.agriwork-germany.de/webapp-saisonarbeit/
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxlml_AFHME&list=PLxhmJE7PYUHS8xUPRY9SddGgXntai9Dpg
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxhmJE7PYUHSx-0wGe8YJbol0-flgUQV-F
www.svlfg.de/auslaendische-saisonarbeitskraefte
www.svlfg.de/information-saisonarbeitskraefte
Hotline (in German): +49 561 78510010
The “Fair Mobility” (Faire Mobilität) project offers in-formation and advisory services on labour and social law for seasonal workers (more languages available):
www.faire-mobilitaet.de/landwirtschaft
www.fair-arbeiten.eu
https://www.arbeitundleben.de/arbeitsfelder/beratungsnetzwerk
Hotline (in German): +800 0005780
To find the nearest advice centre from your location in your language, please go to:
www.eu-gleichbehandlungsstelle.de/eugs-en/eu-citizens/searching-for-an-advice-centre
The website and advice centres of "Fair Integration" (Faire Integration) are also available for seasonal farm workers from non-EU countries (more languages available):
https://www.faire-integration.de/en