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
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
TIP: Please make sure you find out about your health insurance status before entering Germany.
You are entitled to the minimum wage of 12.41 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 12.41 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