You have 3 weeks to challenge a termination

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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The date the letter reached you — that is what the deadline runs from.
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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

Common questions

There is no automatic legal right to severance in most cases, but in practice employers frequently pay it to avoid a termination lawsuit — which is why the 3-week deadline matters: your negotiating position is strongest before it expires.

Bring it to the first consultation. What you signed and when determines your options — some agreements can be contested, and a lawyer can tell you quickly.

Requesting a match and your first consultation are free. If you have legal expenses insurance (Rechtsschutzversicherung), employment disputes are often covered.

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.

Social security →
Immigration & residence →
Personal injury →

Something else entirely? See everything we help with — whatever it is, you get an English-speaking German lawyer.