You can only apply for permission to work on Sundays and public holidays if you are an employer and the work cannot be carried out on weekdays.

A permit for working on public holidays is required for the federal state in which a public holiday is celebrated and in which work is to be carried out. The company headquarters principle applies.

Provided that the work cannot be carried out on working days, a permit may be issued in accordance with Section 13 (3) No. 2 a), b), c) of the Working Hours Act (ArbZG) if

• special circumstances arise in a business that cause disproportionate damage (on up to five Sundays and public holidays per year),
• in the commercial sector, special circumstances necessitate extended business operations (e.g. for in-house and order fairs organized exclusively for commercial resellers) on up to ten Sundays and public holidays per year and
• the statutory stocktaking is to be carried out and cannot be carried out on a working day (one Sunday per year).

• Every employee who is employed on a Sunday or public holiday must be granted a substitute rest day.
• The employee's working time may not exceed 10 hours.
• If the employee's working time exceeds six hours, he/she must be granted a rest break of at least 30 minutes. If the working time exceeds nine hours, he/she must be granted a rest break of at least 45 minutes.
• The name and duration of employment of the employee working on a Sunday or public holiday must be recorded.
• A separate exemption in accordance with Art. 5 of the Act on the Protection of Rest on Sundays and Public Holidays (Public Holidays Act - FTG) is not required.
• Exceptions to the prohibition of employment on Sundays and public holidays result from the ArbZG itself as well as various other legal regulations (e.g. Shop Closing Act, Ordinance on the Needs of the Trade, etc.).