Fired in Germany? Talk to an employment lawyer — in English.
Termination letters, Aufhebungsvertrag pressure, severance negotiations, warning letters — German employment law is strict, and it protects employees more than most expats expect.
- Challenge a termination (Kündigungsschutzklage) — the deadline is 3 weeks from receiving the letter
- Don't sign an Aufhebungsvertrag (termination agreement) before a lawyer has seen it — it can cost you unemployment benefits
- Severance is often negotiable, even when the letter says the decision is final
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What we help with
Some of the situations people come to us with. Yours doesn't have to be on the list.
• Unfair dismissal (Kündigungsschutzklage) — ordinary, immediate or during probation
• An Aufhebungsvertrag put in front of you, often with a deadline of hours
• Severance (Abfindung) negotiation and settlement talks
• A written warning (Abmahnung) you believe is unjustified
• Unpaid wages, unpaid overtime, or withheld bonuses
• A bad or coded work reference (Arbeitszeugnis)
• Discrimination or harassment at work (AGG claims)
• Fixed-term contracts (Befristung) that may be invalid
Read this first
Fired in Germany? What to Do in the First 3 Weeks
The three-week deadline, why you should not sign an Aufhebungsvertrag, the three-day job-centre rule, and when a termination is simply void.
9 min read
They Put a Termination Agreement in Front of You
Why an employer prefers it to a dismissal, the Sperrzeit risk, everything negotiable besides the severance, and the narrow exits once it is signed.
9 min read
Fired During Probation in Germany: Notice, Rights and Deadlines
Probation versus the six-month waiting period, the two-week notice, when a probation dismissal is invalid, the three-week deadline and unemployment benefit.
7 min read
Arbeitszeugnis in Germany: What the Grade Means and How to Correct It
The right to a reference, the satisfaction scale behind the grade, the ban on hidden codes, the closing sentence, interim references and getting a reference corrected.
7 min read
Resigning From Your Job in Germany: Your Notice Period Explained
Which notice period applies when you resign, how to count it, how to hand in notice so it counts, leaving early, the notice period itself, final pay and the Sperrzeit.
8 min read
Non-Compete Clause in Germany: When It Binds You and What You Get Paid
When a post-employment ban binds you, why one without compensation is void, how the Karenzentschädigung is worked out, waivers, and how the way the job ends changes it.
8 min read
Sick Leave in Germany: Your Pay, Krankengeld and Your Job
The six-week continued-pay rule, telling your employer and the sick note deadline, Krankengeld's amount and 78-week limit, dismissal while sick, and sickness abroad.
7 min read
Common questions
General information, not legal advice — your lawyer assesses your specific case in the free first consultation.
Related areas
Legal problems rarely arrive alone — a job loss can put a residence permit at risk, a divorce can raise housing questions.
Something else entirely? See everything we help with — request an English-speaking German lawyer for your legal issue.