[Implementing the employment schedule act at a university clinic--"surgical research during illegal time periods"]

The realisation of the new regulations for working time in hospitals by law (ArbZG) creates a new status for clinical research. The ArbZG clearly includes regulations for times spent on research and teaching. The strict regulations for resting periods, which have to be respected, allow research activities almost only in time spans other than official working time. The council of the European Union has excluded research activities from the guidelines for working time regulations, so there are no limitations on the time spent on research. In contrast, the German regulations for working time include time spent on research, so there is a national disadvantage for research in comparison to other European countries.