A large majority of people in Germany favor the concept of a “heat-free” right for certain employees. In a survey commissioned by Forsa for the broadcasters RTL and ntv, 77 percent of respondents said they support a regulation that would allow workers who work outdoors or whose workplaces cannot be cooled to go home if temperatures exceed 35 degrees Celsius. Twenty percent of the surveyed individuals opposed such a rule.
The proposal enjoys broad support across most political parties. Specifically, supporters of the Left Party showed the highest level of approval, with 94 percent backing the “heat-free” policy above 35 degrees. In contrast, supporters of the AfD were the most reserved among the parties mentioned, with 67 percent approval.
For this investigation, a total of 1,009 individuals were interviewed on June 26 and June 29, 2026.
