🇩🇪 Germany
Employment Law
Key employment obligations for Germany — leave entitlements, notice periods, working hours, termination rules, and HR compliance for employers hiring in-country.
Employment Rules at a Glance
Minimum Wage
EUR 12.82 per month
Annual Leave
20 days
Sick Leave
42 days
Notice Period
4 days
Probation Period
6 days
Maternity Leave
14 weeks
Paternity Leave
—
Overtime Rate
1.25x standard rate
Max Working Hours
48 hrs/week
13th Month Pay
Not required
Working Hours
Standard Hours
40hrs/week
Maximum Hours
48hrs/week
Overtime Rate
1.25x rate
Daily OT Threshold
8hrs/day
Weekly OT Threshold
40hrs/week
48 hour max including overtime 11 hour rest period
Official source ↗Termination & Redundancy
Min Notice Period
28days
Max Probation
6months
Severance
Not required
Garden Leave
Permitted
Unfair Dismissal From
6months
Notice Period Formula
4 weeks base; scales up to 7 months after 20 years per §622 BGB
Severance Calculation
No statutory entitlement; courts typically award 0.5 month gross salary per year of service in unfair dismissal cases
Redundancy Rules
Works council must be consulted before dismissal. KSchG applies after 6 months and in companies with 10+ employees.
Important Notes
Social selection criteria (Sozialauswahl) apply to redundancy — age, tenure, maintenance obligations, disability considered.
EOR Intelligence
Outsource employment law compliance in Germany.
An Employer of Record handles all local obligations — contracts, leave, termination, and more.
Payroll Calculator
Calculate the real cost of employment in Germany.
Net salary, income tax, employer social security, and total cost of hire.
Employment law data is sourced from official government publications and updated monthly. This information is for guidance only and does not constitute legal advice. Always consult a qualified employment lawyer for Germany-specific obligations.
About This Data
- ✓ Sourced from official government publications
- ✓ Updated monthly — always current rules
- ✓ For guidance only — not legal advice
More for Germany
EOR Intelligence
Hiring in Germany without a local entity?
An Employer of Record handles local employment law compliance on your behalf.
Explore EOR for GermanyFree Tool
Compare employment law across countries.
Side-by-side employment rule analysis — leave, notice periods, and obligations across all active countries.
Compare countries