Received a termination notice (Kündigung)? Your employer owes you wages, issued a warning or offers a termination agreement? We handle German employment law matters in English — from first assessment to representation before labour courts across Germany.
From the day the notice is delivered you generally have 3 weeks (21 days) to file an unfair dismissal claim (sec. 4 KSchG). After the deadline the dismissal becomes effective almost without exception — even if it was defective.
The deadline at a glance
The calculator is for orientation only and does not replace legal advice. If the deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday it shifts to the next working day (sec. 193 BGB) — the calculator does not account for public holidays, so we always verify the exact deadline individually.
In dismissal cases every day counts. Pick an available time slot for a first consultation — online or by phone.
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Five questions about your situation — with a first assessment and next step at the end.
The quiz gives a first orientation and does not replace legal advice — the outcome depends on details we assess individually.
The 21-day deadline runs from this date. Keep the envelope and note when the letter reached you.
The notice must be on paper with a handwritten signature (sec. 623 BGB). Notice by e-mail, text message or messenger is invalid.
Full protection generally applies if the business employs more than 10 people and you have been employed for more than 6 months.
Pregnancy and parental leave, recognised disability, works council membership — here a dismissal needs additional approvals and is often contestable.
The route in four steps
We prepare and file the unfair dismissal claim. This opens the way to reinstatement or — more often — severance negotiations.
Usually a few weeks after filing, the court attempts a settlement. A large share of cases ends here — with severance or a good agreement.
Without a settlement the court examines the dismissal. The burden of proving the reasons lies largely with the employer.
German law does not provide for automatic severance. In labour court practice the starting point is half a gross monthly salary per year of service, and the statute provides this amount expressly only for the special case of a redundancy dismissal with a severance offer (sec. 1a KSchG). Beyond that, severance is always a matter of negotiation. The employer wants to part with the employee, the employee demands reinstatement, and both sides reach a settlement in which the severance is the “price” for the job. The employer buys its way out. The weaker the grounds for dismissal and the more urgently the employer wants the separation, the higher the amount.
Last resort. If no settlement is reached and continued employment with this employer is unreasonable for the employee, there remains the application to have the court dissolve the employment relationship (Auflösungsantrag, sec. 9 (1) KSchG). The court declares the dismissal invalid, dissolves the employment relationship and awards severance of up to twelve monthly salaries, with longer service and higher age up to fifteen or eighteen (sec. 10 (1) and (2) KSchG). This is a fallback, not the plan for the case.
Starting point in practice
Example: €3,000 gross and 8 years of service give €12,000 as the starting point.
Last resort: Auflösungsantrag
You know the costs up front. We assess your case and state the costs before you instruct us. In the first instance before the labour court each party pays its own lawyer regardless of the outcome (sec. 12a ArbGG) — we factor this into strategy and severance calculation.
On lower incomes we help you obtain state legal aid (Prozesskostenhilfe). If you have legal expenses insurance, it usually covers disputes with your employer — we check your policy for you.
Responding to unjustified warnings before they become grounds for dismissal.
Do not sign immediately — an ill-considered agreement can trigger a benefits waiting period (Sperrzeit).
In Germany the reference wording matters greatly — we enforce corrections of downgraded assessments.
Demand letters and claims for salary, overtime and allowances — including against temp agencies. Employer challenging your sick note and withholding sick pay? See when a sick note can be challenged.
Immediate dismissal requires good cause — we check whether it exists and protect your claims.
A1 certificates, minimum wage and working conditions for work in Germany.
Lawyer fees in Germany depend on the value in dispute (RVG statute). Enter the amount at stake to see estimated first-instance costs.
Estimates based on statutory fee tables (1.3 proceedings fee + 1.2 hearing fee + expenses and VAT). Note: before the labour court each party pays its own lawyer in the first instance (sec. 12a ArbGG). Actual costs depend on how the case unfolds — you always receive a precise quote before instructing us. Statutory rates are subject to change.
What to check on the day of delivery, which mistakes to avoid and which documents to secure.
Our office is in the centre of Frankfurt (Oder) at Rudolf-Breitscheid-Straße 10, about 15 minutes on foot from the Labour Court (Arbeitsgericht) Frankfurt (Oder) at Gartenstraße 3 and about 1.4 km from the border bridge to Słubice, Poland. We act for employees and employers in Frankfurt (Oder) and the surrounding districts of Oder-Spree and Märkisch-Oderland, including international staff and cross-border commuters who work in Brandenburg or Berlin. If your employer is based in the region or you work there, your case will usually be heard by the Labour Court Frankfurt (Oder), where we attend conciliation and trial hearings in person. Advice in English, German and Polish, at our office or online.
Exceptionally yes — the court may admit a late claim (sec. 5 KSchG), for example if through no fault of your own you learned of the dismissal late. These exceptions are interpreted narrowly — contact us immediately.
No. Termination requires written form with a handwritten signature (sec. 623 BGB). But stay alert: the employer may later serve a formally valid notice.
Not immediately. A termination agreement can reduce your claims and trigger a benefits waiting period (Sperrzeit). Send us the draft before signing — we will check whether the offer is fair.
In the first instance each party pays its own lawyer regardless of the outcome (sec. 12a ArbGG). On lower incomes state legal aid helps, and legal expenses insurance usually covers employment disputes.
In practice the claim is the main route to severance. An employer who risks losing usually offers a settlement — and the weaker the grounds for dismissal, the higher the negotiable amount.
“I warmly recommend the firm […] in German employment law. I am grateful for the high level of professionalism, empathy and the approach to the problem — plus a great win, thank you very much. I recommend them with all my heart.” — L N
The review comes from the firm’s Google profile, translated from Polish. We do not verify reviews ourselves — publication and verification of authors are handled by Google. See all reviews on Google →
The two-stage test for an important reason, the employer’s two-week deadline, warnings, dismissal on suspicion, balancing of interests, special protection, benefit suspension and first steps.
When the deadline starts, weekends and public holidays with a calculator, when a claim is in time, exceptions and late admission under section 5 KSchG.
Business decision, vacant positions, social selection, the new 2026 rules on collective redundancy notifications, severance pay, unemployment benefit and the 3-week deadline.
Send us the notice or describe your situation. We will tell you your chances, the costs and the next steps — clearly and quickly.
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