Besides the weekly hours, the target time needs the workdays. Under "Work days" in the employment contract (page 1) you choose the weekdays; the default is Monday to Friday.

How KiDig calculates

Target per workday = weekly hours ÷ average number of workdays across all week patterns. With 39 hours on five days that is 7.8 hours.

A workday is a day on which a contract applies, whose weekday is in the pattern, and on which the facility is open or which is a closed day. With the framework duty plan (Rahmendienstplan), public holidays also count since 2024.

Alternating weeks

If someone works in alternation, for example one week Monday to Friday and one week Monday to Wednesday, add several week patterns with "+ additional week":

  • KiDig divides by the average number of days: 5 and 3 days give 4 days, so with 39 hours 9.75 hours per workday.
  • The patterns alternate every week, counted from the contract start, not from Monday. If the contract starts on a Wednesday, the pattern changes every Wednesday. If the weeks should change on Mondays, the start belongs on a Monday.

Example: 39 hours, patterns Monday–Friday and Monday–Wednesday, contract start Wednesday 4 March 2026. In the week of 9 March, Monday and Tuesday still follow the first pattern and the second applies from Wednesday; Thursday and Friday are off.

Older help texts called this "Wechselschicht" (alternating shifts). It only means alternating week patterns, not round-the-clock shift work.

Changing hours or days from a date

If hours or workdays change permanently from a date, end the current contract on the day before and create a new contract. Do not change the pattern of the old contract and do not move its start. The steps are in Employment contracts and hour settings.

The law in brief

Under § 6 (1) and (2) TVöD, regular working time is 39 hours per week on average, calculated over a period of up to one year. An uneven distribution across weeks is therefore possible as long as the average is right.

Sources

This is not legal advice. Your collective agreement (for example TVöD or AVR) and your works agreements apply.