{"id":4454,"date":"2026-07-06T10:28:41","date_gmt":"2026-07-06T08:28:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/?page_id=4454"},"modified":"2026-07-06T14:53:19","modified_gmt":"2026-07-06T12:53:19","slug":"german-labour-court","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/german-labour-court\/","title":{"rendered":"How proceedings before a German labour court work"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div id=\"progress\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/div>\n\n<header>\n  <div class=\"wrap\">\n    <a href=\"\/en\/\" class=\"brand\" aria-label=\"BWLAW\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/bwlaw-child-1\/assets\/img\/logo-bw.png\" alt=\"BWLAW\" width=\"42\" height=\"28\"><\/a>\n    <nav aria-label=\"Main navigation\">\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/construction-law\/\">Construction law<\/a>\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/debt-collection\/\">Debt collection<\/a>\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/company-formation\/\">Corporate law<\/a>\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/employment-law\/\">Employment law<\/a>\n      <a href=\"\/en\/defective-car-from-germany\/\">Cars<\/a>\n      <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/\" class=\"active\">Knowledge base<\/a>\n      <a href=\"\/en\/#zespol\">Team<\/a>\n    <\/nav>\n    <a href=\"\/en\/#kontakt\" class=\"btn\">Contact a lawyer <span class=\"arr\">\u2192<\/span><\/a>\n    <button class=\"burger\" aria-label=\"Menu\">\u2630<\/button>\n  <\/div>\n<\/header>\n\n<section class=\"shero\" style=\"padding-bottom:3.5rem\">\n  <div class=\"glow\"><\/div>\n  <div class=\"wrap\" style=\"grid-template-columns:1fr\">\n    <div>\n      <nav class=\"crumbs\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\"><a href=\"\/en\/\">Home<\/a><span>\/<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/\">Knowledge base<\/a><span>\/<\/span><b>Employment<\/b><\/nav>\n      <span class=\"eyebrow\">Employment<\/span>\n      <h1 style=\"max-width:24ch\">How proceedings before a German labour court work<\/h1>\n      <p class=\"lead\">German labour court proceedings are faster and less formal than many expect \u2014 a large share of cases settles at the very first hearing.<\/p>\n      <div class=\"art-meta\">\n        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/bwlaw-child-1\/assets\/img\/dr-artur-barczewski.webp\" alt=\"Dr. Artur Barczewski\" width=\"46\" height=\"46\" loading=\"lazy\">\n        <div><b>Dr. Artur Barczewski<\/b>Rechtsanwalt \u00b7 attorney-at-law<\/div>\n        <div style=\"margin-left:1rem;border-left:1px solid rgba(255,255,255,.25);padding-left:1rem\">\u2248 6 min read<br>updated: July 2026<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<article class=\"sec\">\n  <div class=\"wrap\">\n    <div class=\"prose rv\" style=\"font-size:1.02rem\">\n      <h3 style=\"font-size:1.35rem;margin-top:2.2rem\">Step 1: the claim<\/h3>\n      <p>Proceedings start with a claim filed at the labour court \u2014 for dismissals within 3 weeks of receipt. We file electronically, you do not have to travel anywhere.<\/p>\n      <h3 style=\"font-size:1.35rem;margin-top:2.2rem\">Step 2: the conciliation hearing (G\u00fcteverhandlung)<\/h3>\n      <p>A few weeks after filing, the court schedules a conciliation hearing before the presiding judge. Its goal is a settlement \u2014 statistically most dismissal cases end here, usually with a severance payment and an agreed reference. Good preparation of this hearing strongly influences the outcome.<\/p>\n      <h3 style=\"font-size:1.35rem;margin-top:2.2rem\">Step 3: full hearing and judgment<\/h3>\n      <p>Without a settlement the full chamber hears the case (a professional judge plus two lay judges from the employer and employee side), takes evidence and rules. The burden of proving the dismissal grounds lies largely with the employer.<\/p>\n      <h3 style=\"font-size:1.35rem;margin-top:2.2rem\">Costs and duration<\/h3>\n      <ul>\n        <li>first instance: each side bears its own lawyer fees regardless of the outcome (\u00a7 12a ArbGG),<\/li>\n        <li>court fees are moderate and are generally waived if you settle,<\/li>\n        <li>legal aid (Prozesskostenhilfe) is available on low income,<\/li>\n        <li>conciliation hearing: usually within a few weeks, first instance overall: usually several months.<\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n      <h3 style=\"font-size:1.35rem;margin-top:2.2rem\">Do you have to appear in person?<\/h3>\n      <p>Not always \u2014 we represent you as counsel, and video participation is often possible. Where your presence is required, we prepare you and are at your side.<\/p>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"mini-cta rv\"><b>Does this affect you?<\/b><span style=\"color:var(--ink-soft);font-size:.92rem\">Describe your case \u2014 we reply concretely and quickly.<\/span><a href=\"\/en\/#kontakt\" class=\"btn\">Contact a lawyer <span class=\"arr\">\u2192<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n    <div class=\"prose rv\" style=\"margin-top:1.5rem\">\n      <h3 style=\"font-size:1.1rem\">Related topics<\/h3>\n      <div class=\"chips\" style=\"margin-top:.8rem\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/employment-law\/\">Employment law in Germany \u2192<\/a>\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/employment-law\/\">Received a dismissal \u2014 what to do \u2192<\/a>\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/aufhebungsvertrag-termination-agreement\/\">Termination agreement \u2192<\/a>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n<section class=\"sec alt\">\n  <div class=\"wrap\">\n    <div class=\"lawyer rv\">\n      <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/bwlaw-child-1\/assets\/img\/dr-artur-barczewski.webp\" alt=\"Dr. Artur Barczewski\" width=\"96\" height=\"96\" loading=\"lazy\">\n      <div>\n        <b>Dr. Artur Barczewski<\/b>\n        <div class=\"role\">Rechtsanwalt \u00b7 attorney-at-law<\/div>\n        <p>Author of this article. Represents clients before courts across Germany. <a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/team\/artur-barczewski\/\">View profile \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <p style=\"font-size:.78rem;color:var(--ink-soft);margin-top:1.2rem;max-width:70ch\">This article is for information only and does not constitute legal advice. The law may change \u2014 consult a lawyer about your individual case.<\/p>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<section class=\"cta-end\">\n  <div class=\"glow\"><\/div>\n  <div class=\"wrap\">\n    <span class=\"eyebrow rv\">Contact<\/span>\n    <h2 class=\"rv d1\">Does your situation look similar?<\/h2>\n    <p class=\"rv d2\">Every case has details that change the outcome. Describe yours \u2014 you will get a concrete answer and a cost overview.<\/p>\n    <div class=\"row rv d3\">\n      <a href=\"\/en\/#kontakt\" class=\"btn\">Describe your case <span class=\"arr\">\u2192<\/span><\/a>\n      <a href=\"tel:+4933555310969\" class=\"phone\">\u260e +49 335 553 10969<\/a>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<footer>\n  <div class=\"wrap\">\n    <div class=\"foot-grid\">\n      <div>\n        <div class=\"foot-brand\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/bwlaw-child-1\/assets\/img\/logo-bw.png\" alt=\"Logo BWLAW\" width=\"38\" height=\"26\"><\/div>\n        <p>Kanzlei Dr. Barczewski &amp; Dr. Wr\u00f3blewska GbR<br>Rudolf-Breitscheid-Stra\u00dfe 10<br>15230 Frankfurt (Oder), Germany<br><a href=\"tel:+4933555310969\">+49 335 553 10969<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"mailto:info@bwlaw.de\">info@bwlaw.de<\/a><\/p>\n      <\/div>\n      <div>\n        <div class=\"foot-h\">Practice areas<\/div>\n        <ul>\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/construction-law\/\">Construction law \/ VOB\/B<\/a><\/li>\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/employment-law\/\">Employment law<\/a><\/li>\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/debt-collection\/\">Debt collection<\/a><\/li>\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/practice-areas\/company-formation\/\">Corporate law<\/a><\/li>\n          <li><a href=\"\/en\/defective-car-from-germany\/\">Defective car from Germany<\/a><\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n      <\/div>\n      <div>\n        <div class=\"foot-h\">Legal<\/div>\n        <ul>\n          <li><a href=\"\/en\/\">Home<\/a><\/li>\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/knowledge-base\/\">Knowledge base<\/a><\/li>\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/impressum\/\">Legal notice (Impressum)<\/a><\/li>\n          <li><a href=\"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/privacy-policy\/\">Privacy policy<\/a><\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"foot-bottom\">\n      <span>\u00a9 2026 BWLAW \u00b7 Kanzlei Dr. Barczewski &amp; Dr. Wr\u00f3blewska GbR<\/span>\n      <span>Rechtsanw\u00e4lte \u00b7 attorneys-at-law \u00b7 Frankfurt (Oder)<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/footer>\n\n<div class=\"sticky-cta\">\n  <a href=\"tel:+4933555310969\" class=\"call\">\u260e Call us<\/a>\n  <a href=\"\/en\/#kontakt\" class=\"book\">Describe your case<\/a>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Construction law Debt collection Corporate law Employment law Cars Knowledge base Team Contact a lawyer \u2192 \u2630 Home\/Knowledge base\/Employment Employment How proceedings before a German labour court work German labour court proceedings are faster and less formal than many expect \u2014 a large share of cases settles at the very first hearing. Dr. Artur BarczewskiRechtsanwalt [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":4417,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-bwlaw-page.php","meta":{"footnotes":"","rank_math_title":"German labour court: how proceedings work | BWLAW","rank_math_description":"From filing the claim through the conciliation hearing to judgment: course, duration and costs of proceedings before a German labour court.","rank_math_focus_keyword":"German labour court proceedings","rank_math_robots":[]},"class_list":["post-4454","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"bwlaw_import":{"lang":"en","template":"template-bwlaw-page.php"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4454","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4454"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4454\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4849,"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4454\/revisions\/4849"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4417"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bwlaw.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4454"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}