New Rules for Flexi-Jobs Effective July 1, 2026: What Do Business Owners Need to Know?
August 2026 - On July 1, 2026, the flexi-job system in our country underwent a thorough overhaul. The new legislation makes flexi-jobs accessible to virtually all sectors, but at the same time introduces revised conditions and additional rules.
Flexi-jobs are becoming the norm in nearly all sectors
The biggest change is undoubtedly the significant expansion of the scope of application. Until now, flexi-jobs were only possible in a limited number of sectors, such as hospitality, retail, and certain healthcare activities. As of July 1, 2026, in principle, nearly all employers in both the private and public sectors can hire flexi-job workers.
However, there are a few exceptions. For example, artistic, artistic-technical, and artistic-support roles remain excluded. The existing rules for protected professions also continue to apply. Furthermore, sectors retain the option to opt out of the system entirely or partially through a so-called opt-out. For 2026, a transitional arrangement applies whereby such exclusion is even possible on a quarterly basis.
Additional restrictions apply to organizations in child care and health care. They may limit the proportion of flexi-jobbers to a certain percentage of their total workforce.
Eligibility requirements remain largely unchanged
The basic requirements have hardly changed. Employees who do not receive a pension must still have worked at least four-fifths of the time in the reference quarter (T-3) to be eligible for a flexi-job.
For retirees, however, the reference period is changing. Whereas it was previously required that a person be retired in quarter T-2, as of July 1, 2026, the employee must be actively retired during the quarter in which the flexi-job is performed (quarter T). This brings the regulations more in line with the employee’s current situation.
Greater Flexibility for Corporate Groups and Temporary Work
Several existing restrictions are also being lifted.
For example, full-time employees may now perform a flexi-job within an affiliated company. This offers additional opportunities for family-owned businesses or corporate groups that wish to deploy staff flexibly.
In addition, an exception is being introduced for temporary staffing agencies. An employee may work simultaneously as a temporary worker and as a flexi-jobber, as long as both assignments are not performed for the same client. However, the prohibition against working simultaneously as a regular employee and as a flexi-jobber for the same employer remains in effect.
New Rules for Wages and Compensation
The wage regulations are also being revised.
The familiar 150% cap on the base wage remains in place, but the calculation method is changing. As of July 1, 2026, only the base wage will be taken into account. Statutory and sector-specific premiums or benefits will no longer be included in the calculation of this cap. However, benefits granted on an individual basis will still be included.
Are you an employer in the hospitality sector? If so, there is an additional rule. The maximum hourly wage for flexi-jobbers is now 21 euros per hour, an amount that will be indexed in the future.
Annual Evaluation of the System
The federal government intends to closely monitor the impact of the reform.
One year after implementation, the following will be examined:
the types of positions in which flexi-jobbers are employed
the number of active flexi-jobbers
whether the reform is achieving its objectives
the impact of the new regulations on the labor market
This initial evaluation will be followed by an annual review. In this way, the government aims to be able to make timely adjustments should any undesirable effects arise.
