GERMAN & EUROPEAN EMPLOYMENT LAW
German employment law.
Clear advice in English.
For businesses, international HR teams and executives navigating employment in Germany. From the first hire to a difficult exit, collective negotiations or a dispute in court.
Advice in English · Representation across Germany · Hannover head office
What needs your attention?
Sixteen practical starting points. Find the issue, understand the legal process and see which documents help us assess your position.
01
Hire and employ staff
Build a German employment relationship on terms your managers can actually use. We draft and review contracts, policies and offer documents for international employers and German businesses.
02
Manage dismissals
A dismissal needs a defensible reason where general dismissal protection applies, the correct procedure and reliable delivery. We assess planned terminations and represent clients in resulting disputes.
03
Negotiate an agreed exit
A workable exit agreement settles the whole employment relationship, not just the severance figure. We advise on negotiation, drafting and the practical steps needed to close the matter.
04
Restructure the workforce
Plan workforce changes with the consultation, notification and individual employment processes built into the transaction timetable.
05
Work with employee representatives
Workplace decisions often require more than individual employee agreement. We advise on works council participation, negotiations, elections and disputes.
06
Handle unions and collective agreements
Understand collective bargaining coverage, negotiate changes and prepare a legally informed response to industrial disputes.
07
Buy, sell or transfer a business
Identify workforce liabilities before a transaction and plan the employment-law steps needed for transfer and integration.
08
Employ across borders
Coordinate German employment requirements with overseas contracts, assignments and remote-working arrangements.
09
Organise working time and hybrid work
Turn working-time rules into schedules, recording systems and policies that work in day-to-day operations.
10
Resolve pay and reward issues
Review remuneration structures, assess unpaid wage and bonus claims, and prepare transparent, defensible reward decisions.
11
Manage leave and absence
Handle annual leave, sickness, parental leave and protected situations with a clear record of entitlements and decisions.
12
Respond to workplace complaints
Respond to allegations promptly, preserve evidence and protect a fair process for everyone involved.
13
Introduce HR technology safely
Assess employee data use, automated HR tools and investigations before a technical or management decision creates an employment dispute.
14
Appoint or separate from executives
Align an executive’s contract with corporate appointment, remuneration, authority and the intended exit arrangements.
15
Choose the right staffing model
Review fixed-term, part-time, agency and freelance arrangements, together with pension and retirement commitments.
16
Resolve an employment dispute
Choose a procedural route that protects the deadline, fits the dispute and supports an informed decision on settlement or judgment.
German law. European perspective.
For businesses and HR teams
Hiring, day-to-day personnel decisions, workforce change and contentious matters. We connect the legal analysis to your operational timetable and decision-making responsibilities.
For international matters
English-language advice on German employment rules, cross-border assignments and EU requirements. We identify where local rules, group policies and foreign contracts need to be brought into line.
A practical route from issue to action
01 · Establish the facts
Tell us the parties, the issue and any deadline. We check conflicts and identify the documents needed for an initial assessment.
02 · Agree the approach
We explain the available options, the material risks and the proposed scope and fees. You decide on the next step with that information.
03 · Put it into effect
We prepare documents, conduct negotiations or represent you in proceedings, with a clear view of responsibilities and deadlines.
A dismissal deadline needs immediate attention
A challenge to a written dismissal normally has to reach the labour court within three weeks of receipt. Negotiations do not stop that period. Include the date of receipt when contacting us; sending an enquiry does not itself secure a deadline.
The firm behind your advice
horak. Attorneys at Law brings employment matters together with the commercial, technology and intellectual property questions that can accompany them. Your matter is assigned according to the advice and representation it requires.
Hannover — head office
Georgstraße 48
30159 Hannover, Germany
Across Germany
See our office directory for locations and contact details.
Michael Horak, LL.M.
Attorney-at-law · Graduate Engineer
Julia Ziegeler
Attorney-at-law
Employment law insights
Current developments and an organised archive of earlier articles. Historical material is identified separately from current guidance.
- After the 2026 works council elections: an employer’s practical checklistThe regular election window was 1 March to 31 May 2026. The next task is to make consultation and co-determination processes work with the elected body.
- Platform Work Directive: preparing for the December 2026 deadlineThe EU framework addresses employment status and algorithmic management. Platform businesses should assess their operating model before relying on contract labels.
- AI in HR in 2026: use the revised EU timetableRecruitment and workforce-management tools need a use-case review. The revised timetable should not be confused with the rules already applicable.
- EU pay transparency in 2026: prepare the pay structure, check the German rulesThe EU transposition deadline and an employer’s concrete German obligations must be kept separate. A defensible pay structure is already a practical priority.
Questions before contacting us
Can we instruct you in English?
Yes. You can describe the matter and send your initial documents in English. German court filings and evidence requirements are considered when we agree how the matter will be handled.
Do you advise only in Hannover?
Hannover is our head office. We advise on German employment matters across Germany and provide a directory of our other offices.
What should the first enquiry contain?
Give the names of the parties, a short chronology, the action you need to take and any deadline. We will confirm whether we can act and agree the scope and fees.