German employment law is one of the most employee-protective regimes in Europe â but the protections only kick in if you act within the deadlines and know which buttons to press.
The four areas we cover
Dismissal & Severance
Challenging a dismissal, the 3-week deadline, negotiating severance, the Gütetermin.
Wages & Salary
Unpaid salary, bonuses, expenses, overtime, exclusion periods, enforcement against the employer.
Vacation & Leave
Statutory minimum, carry-over, payout on termination, parental leave, sick days.
Reference Letter (Zeugnis)
Decoding the hidden grading system and correcting unfair wording.
What makes German employment law different
Who is protected by the Kündigungsschutzgesetz?
The German Protection Against Dismissal Act applies if both of the following are true:
- You have been employed by the same employer for more than 6 months without interruption (§ 1(1) KSchG); and
- Your employer regularly employs more than 10 full-time-equivalent staff in Germany (§ 23(1) KSchG; part-timers count proportionally).
If both apply, your dismissal must be socially justified for one of three reasons: operational, personal, or behavioural. If either condition fails, you have far weaker protection â though dismissals can still be void on other grounds (discrimination, formal defects, special protection for pregnant employees, severely disabled employees, works-council members).
What we don’t do
We are employment-law lawyers, not full-service immigration or tax advisers. We routinely work alongside specialist immigration counsel when a dismissal affects your Aufenthaltstitel, and we can refer you. We act only for employees and senior individuals on the employee side â never for employers.