Heat at Work in 2026: What Breaks, Drinks, and Relief Measures Are You Entitled To?

Do you believe your employer isn’t following the rules for working in hot weather? Contact us. We’ll assess the conditions at your workplace, explain your specific rights, and, if necessary, help you determine the next steps to take against your employer.

Maximum Workplace Temperature: What Does the Law Say?

Czech law does not specify a single universal “critical number,” as the acceptable limit depends on the physical demands of the work. Standards classify activities into five classes, which are further divided into subcategories—ranging from light administrative work to heavy manual labor—and specify the maximum permissible operating temperature for each: approximately 27 °C for offices, around 24 °C for moderately strenuous work, and roughly 20 °C for the most physically demanding jobs. These figures also take humidity and radiant heat into account, so the “limit” may be reached sooner on a hot roof than in the shade.

The employer is primarily responsible for monitoring the temperature. The employer must properly assess the heat stress and continuously monitor it based on the conditions at the workplace. If the workplace has already been professionally measured and the conditions have not changed, a calibrated thermometer may also be used for further checks.

However, indoor and outdoor work are assessed differently. For outdoor workplaces during hot weather, the reading from a globe thermometer is used as the basis. The so-called corrected temperature, which takes airflow into account, is instead part of the regulations for working in cold conditions.

When it comes specifically to temperature and other microclimatic conditions in the workplace, regional public health offices play the primary regulatory role. They can inspect workplace conditions, have them measured, and require the employer to implement corrective measures. In serious cases, they may intervene even if continued operations pose a risk to employees’ health. You can also contact the regional labor inspectorate regarding the employer’s related obligations in the area of workplace safety. In any case, an employee has the right to know what risks their job entails and what measures the company has taken to address them.

Safety Breaks and Shortened Shifts—When Are You Entitled to Them?

Safety breaks are not a favor from the employer, but one of the ways a company is required to protect employees from excessive heat stress. For physically demanding jobs classified as Classes IIb through V, if permissible limits are exceeded , the employer must schedule work and rest periods so that employees are not exposed to heat for longer than is safe. The good news is that safety breaks count toward your working hours—so you won’t lose any pay because of them.

What the specific schedule will look like depends on the conditions and the physical demands of the work. In some cases, more frequent staff rotations will help; in others, moving part of the work to a cooler environment or allowing for longer rest periods away from the peak heat will be necessary. In short, the employer must organize the work so that the permissible exposure limits for heat stress are not exceeded.

If it is no longer safe to continue working, the employer must address the situation—for example, by suspending work or, provided the legal conditions are met, reassigning the employee to different work. However, there is no simple rule stating that during extreme heat you automatically end your shift and are paid for the entire remainder of it. The amount of any wage compensation depends on why work was suspended. For example, if work is suspended due to adverse weather conditions and the employee is not reassigned to another job, the employee is entitled to at least 60% of their average earnings.

Tip for employees: Make sure breaks are actually taken and recorded. If the company ignores the rules, you have the right to refuse to work and contact the union or the labor inspectorate.

Hydration in the Workplace: When Water Is Enough, and When You Need Mineral Water or a Sports Drink

Hydration is the most visible right guaranteed to employees by law during hot weather. A rehydration drink must be available free of charge whenever fluid loss through sweating and breathing is expected to exceed approximately 1.25 liters during an eight-hour shift—a threshold that is easily surpassed during the summer heat. Regulations also stipulate that the employer must replenish at least 70% of lost fluids and minerals. The specific requirements depend on how physically demanding your work is. For Class I through IIIa work, a lightly mineralized mineral or spring water, for example, is sufficient as a rehydration drink. For more demanding work in classes IIIb through V, the regulations also allow for moderately mineralized water. However, this may constitute no more than half of the specified amount; the other half must consist of lightly mineralized, spring, or similar water.

The volume of beverages varies according to work class: office workers usually need about one liter, but a construction worker or steel mill worker may need two and a half to three liters. Drinks should be available directly at the workplace or within easy walking distance, not just in the cafeteria at the other end of the premises. It is also advisable to spread fluid intake out into smaller portions every twenty to thirty minutes so that the body can rehydrate gradually.

If the employer does not provide fluids, the employee is not required to purchase them on their own. They have the right to request a beverage and, in the event of repeated violations, to contact the labor inspectorate or public health authorities.

Employer Responsibilities During High Temperatures: Shade, Air Conditioning, and Team Rotation

Technical and organizational measures are the first line of defense, even before breaks and shorter shifts come into play. The basic step is to reduce the temperature at the source: shield against the scorching sun with plastic sheeting or roller shades, turn off machines that generate unnecessary heat, and use portable fans or mobile air conditioning units. In warehouses and industrial halls, so-called destratifiers are effective—large ceiling fans that mix the stagnant hot air near the ceiling with the cooler air below. For outdoor work, providing shade is key: lightweight shelters over concrete mixers, reflective tarps over scaffolding, or shade nets on building facades.

In addition to technical measures, organizational changes are being implemented. A typical approach is team rotation: a group of workers alternates every hour between strenuous outdoor work and lighter indoor tasks. It also helps to start the shift early in the morning, so that the most physically demanding work is done “while it’s still cool,” leaving administrative tasks or the assembly of small parts for the afternoon.

Don’t forget about personal protective equipment either. In the heat, you’ll appreciate lightweight, breathable clothing with UV filters and reflective strips that deflect the sun’s rays. In some professions, cooling vests with replaceable gel inserts or towels soaked in cold water are used. The employer provides all equipment free of charge and trains workers on how to use it properly.

What to Do If Your Employer Ignores the Rules

If you feel that your employer is ignoring temperature limits, don’t wait until the heat takes a toll on your health. The first step is always to openly report the situation to your immediate supervisor or the designated occupational safety representative. It’s a good idea to include the facts: the measured temperature, the time, and a description of your work. If that doesn’t help, contact an employee representative, the union, or the company doctor; they have the right to review the temperature records and demand corrective action.

If your employer consistently refuses to address excessive temperatures, fails to provide protective beverages, or threatens you with disciplinary action for reporting hazardous conditions, you do not have to handle the dispute on your own. Contact us. We will examine what obligations your employer had in your specific case, evaluate the available evidence, and suggest the safest course of action—from communicating with your employer to asserting specific claims.

In the event of an immediate health hazard, you may refuse to work —the law expressly permits this, and your employer may not penalize you for doing so. Ideally, document the situation (e.g., a photo of the thermometer, witnesses) so that you can later prove why you stopped working. If the company continues to fail to respond, you can file a complaint with the State Labor Inspection Office; an email or online form is sufficient, and inspectors may arrive without prior notice. Another option is the locally competent regional public health office, which can temporarily suspend work.

Remember that the employer bears full responsibility for any heatstroke or dehydration caused by unsuitable conditions. You are entitled to compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and non-pecuniary damages. It is crucial to keep records of all steps taken and all communication with the company—this will facilitate any potential dispute or the enforcement of your claims.

An Example from Our Legal Practice

We handled a case involving a manufacturing plant employee who worked eight-hour shifts on the production line during a summer heat wave. The temperature in the hall exceeded 30 °C in the afternoon, and due to the machinery, it felt even hotter on the work floor. Drinking water was available to employees, but the employer did not implement any additional safety breaks or employee rotations. Over the course of several shifts, the client experienced severe fatigue, dizziness, and nausea. When he asked for a longer break, his supervisor told him he had to continue working.

We therefore investigated which category his work falls into based on physical exertion and whether, under the measured conditions, the employer is obligated to limit heat stress, implement a work-rest schedule, and provide appropriate rehydration beverages. At the same time, we advised the client to keep records of temperatures, working hours, and communications with his supervisor, and not to underestimate his health issues.

On behalf of the client, we subsequently sent a written request to the employer demanding corrective action and reminded the employer of its obligations regarding occupational health and safety. The employer had the workplace conditions inspected and subsequently adjusted the shift schedule: it introduced regular safety breaks, rotated workers between the warmer and less physically demanding parts of the operation, and provided appropriate protective beverages. In addition, the most physically demanding tasks were moved, whenever possible, to the cooler part of the shift.

As a result, the client did not have to resolve the situation by arbitrarily leaving his job, and at the same time, concrete changes to working conditions were achieved. Similar cases show that when working in the heat, it is not enough to simply monitor the temperature on the thermometer—the physical demands of the work and the employee’s actual heat stress are also crucial.

Summary

Heat in the workplace is assessed based on the physical demands of the work, the type of workplace, and specific microclimatic conditions. For office work in designated non-air-conditioned workplaces, the upper permissible limit is 27 °C; different limits apply to other job categories. In cases of higher heat stress, it may be necessary to implement paid safety breaks and adjust work organization.

If fluid loss exceeds 1.25 liters during an eight-hour shift, the employer must provide a rehydration drink that replaces at least 70% of the lost fluids and minerals. In the event of a violation of these rules, you may contact the regional public health office. You may refuse to work only if the work poses an immediate and serious threat to life or health.