Germany (DE)
Germany is Europe's largest economy and most populous country — a federal parliamentary republic of 16 states (Bundesländer) celebrated for its engineering prowess, rich cultural heritage from Beethoven to Bauhaus, world-famous Oktoberfest and Riesling wines, and one of the most comprehensive social safety nets in the world.
Employment Rights
Sick leave, dismissal protection and red flags in Germany.
Germany has some of the strongest employee protections in the world, but they are not automatic — you have to know and invoke your rights. Works councils (Betriebsrat), collective agreements (Tarifvertrag) and the labour courts (Arbeitsgericht) are central. Every employee should join a union or Rechtsschutz before a problem starts.
Sick leave
Rules: Call your employer before shift start. Since Jan 2023, the doctor's note is sent electronically (eAU) from the Arztpraxis to your Krankenkasse and then to the employer — you no longer hand over a yellow slip.
Doctor note: By law, note required from day 4. Many contracts require it from day 1 — read yours. Contract terms win as long as they are stricter, not looser than the law.
Employer pay: Full salary continuation (Entgeltfortzahlung) for up to 6 weeks per illness, after 4 weeks employment.
Long-term: After 6 weeks: Krankengeld from your Krankenkasse — 70% of gross salary, capped at 90% of net, for up to 78 weeks within 3 years for the same illness.
Dismissal protection
Law: Kündigungsschutzgesetz (KSchG) applies after 6 months of employment at an employer with more than 10 full-time-equivalent employees. Dismissal must be justified by personal, behavioural or operational reasons.
Deadline to sue: 3 weeks (21 calendar days) from receipt of the written dismissal to file a Kündigungsschutzklage at the Arbeitsgericht. This is an ABSOLUTE hard deadline — miss it by one day and the dismissal is final, no matter how illegal it was.
Probation
Probezeit up to 6 months. During this period notice period is 2 weeks for both sides. After Probezeit, statutory notice scales with tenure (4 weeks within first 2 years, then rising to 7 months at 20+ years for the employer).
Notice periods
Statutory: 4 weeks to 15th or end of month in probation/first 2 years; scales up with tenure (1 month after 2 years, 2 months after 5, 3 months after 8, up to 7 months after 20). Employer notice scales; employee notice stays at 4 weeks unless contract says otherwise.
Working time
Max hours: Arbeitszeitgesetz: max 8 hours/day, extendable to 10 if averaged to 8 over 6 months. Max 48 hours/week.
Min rest: Minimum 11 consecutive hours rest between shifts. 45 min break for 9+ hour shifts (30 min for 6–9).
Overtime: Paid overtime (Überstunden) must be specified in contract. Beware "Überstunden sind mit dem Gehalt abgegolten" — courts limit this to a reasonable number, usually max 10–20% of normal hours.
Vacation
Minimum 20 days (5-day week) / 24 days (6-day week) Urlaub per year by law. Standard in full-time contracts: 25–30 days. Sick days during vacation do not count if you submit a Krankschreibung.
Anti-discrimination
AGG (Allgemeines Gleichbehandlungsgesetz) protects against discrimination by race, ethnicity, gender, religion, disability, age, sexual orientation. Complaints within 2 months to Antidiskriminierungsstelle or Arbeitsgericht.
Contract red flags
- !Überstunden sind mit dem Gehalt abgegolten — valid only for a reasonable amount (max ~10–20% over base); unlimited clauses are void.
- !Wettbewerbsverbot nachvertraglich without 50% compensation (Karenzentschädigung) — unenforceable.
- !Ausschlussfristen shorter than 3 months — void.
- !Probezeit longer than 6 months — void.
- !Lohn below tariff or minimum wage (€13.90/h in 2026; rising to €14.60 in 2027) — unlawful.
- !Contract in a language you don't understand without translation — risk of signing unfavourable terms.
- !Scheinselbstständigkeit — a "freelance" contract that is functionally employment. Triggers huge back-payments for both sides.
Employment Rights
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