What your contract should contain
Under the Nachweisgesetz, your employer must give you the essential terms in writing: start date, place of work, job description, salary components and payment date, working hours, overtime rules, holidays, probation, notice periods, applicable collective agreement (Tarifvertrag), and training entitlements.
Key legal rules
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Probation (Probezeit) | Max. 6 months; notice 2 weeks for both sides during probation |
| Notice after probation | Minimum 4 weeks to the 15th or end of a month (§622 BGB); for the employer it rises with years of service (1 month after 2 years … 7 months after 20 years) |
| Form of termination | Must be on paper with a handwritten signature — emails, WhatsApp and PDFs are invalid (§623 BGB) |
| Contesting a dismissal | File a claim at the Arbeitsgericht within 3 weeks of receiving the termination — this deadline is absolute |
| Fixed-term contracts | Without a reason: max. 2 years, max. 3 extensions, and only for new employees |
| Minimum wage | €13.90/hour (2026) |
| Non-compete after leaving | Only valid if the employer pays at least 50% of your last pay for its duration (max. 2 years) |
| Overtime | "All overtime is included" clauses are often invalid for normal salaries. Check if hours are recorded — employers must record working time |
| Reference (Arbeitszeugnis) | You have a right to a written reference when you leave. Its coded language matters — "stets zu unserer vollsten Zufriedenheit" = very good |
Documents for your first day
Steuer-ID · Sozialversicherungsnummer (or birth details so the employer can request it) · Krankenkasse membership certificate · IBAN · residence permit (the employer must check it and keep a copy) · completed personnel questionnaire (Personalfragebogen) · for Minijobs: a pension opt-out form if you choose to opt out.
First weeks
- Ask for the Tarifvertrag or company agreements (Betriebsvereinbarungen) if they apply — they often contain better holiday, pay or bonus rules than your contract.
- Find out if there's a works council (Betriebsrat) — they're your contact for problems and must be consulted before any dismissal.
- Check your first payslip (Chapter 17).