From 2026 onwards, staff at Bremen educational institutions will start tracking their working hours. - Teachers in Bremen will commence recording their working hours starting from the year 2026.
Bremen to Introduce Teacher Working Hours Recording System in Pilot Project
From August 2026, a pilot project will commence in Bremen, marking the first instance of a working hours recording system for teachers in any federal state. The initiative was announced by the Ministry of Education following a decision by the Bremen Senate.
Selected schools will participate in the pilot project, with consideration given to various school types and professional groups to ensure a diverse representation. The ministry aims to define teachers' tasks and targeted working hours, and develop the necessary technology by determining the project's completion.
Teachers will record their working hours via a designed app during the pilot phase, which will last for an entire year. A project working group will provide support and guidance throughout the implementation.
According to Sascha Aulepp, Senator for Education (SPD), the recording of working hours is expected to significantly impact schools, teachers, and school management. Adequate preparation, including planning, accompaniment, and evaluation, has been prioritized for a successful implementation.
The move follows a Federal Labor Court ruling in 2022, which mandated that all employees—including teachers—fully document their working hours. The works council for schools had advocated for the immediate implementation of a working hours recording system for Bremen's teachers but was unsuccessful in their legal endeavors.
Previously, a pilot project to measure the time intensity of teachers' work was proposed but halted due to opposition from the Senate and a subsequent court ruling in the Senate's favor [3]. The current status of a pilot project in Bremen focused on a working hours recording system for teachers starting in 2026 was not available in the search results.
- In light of the federal labor court ruling, Bremen's community policy will introduce a pilot project for vocational training regarding the recording of teacher working hours in August 2026, aiming to establish targeted working hours and enhance education-and-self-development.
- The implementation of this policy-and-legislation change in Bremen's education sector is a significant step in politics, as it underscores the importance of general news topics such as the accurate documentation of working hours for teachers, fostering accountability and efficiency in the educational system.
