On 21 March 2018, the state labor court of Schleswig-Holstein ruled that a valid “dismissal on suspicion” (“Verdachtskündigung”) requires that the affected employee had been granted a reasonable time period to give a statement regarding the accusations (docket number 3 Sa 398/17). A “dismissal on suspicion” is void if the employer issues the notice of …
Category Archive: Dismissal
Extraordinary termination due to feigning incapacity for work
On 7 July 2017 the State Labour Court in Cologne (docket number 4 Sa 936/16) decided that a strong suspicion that an incapacity for work is feigned, is sufficient to justify a termination for good cause, in the course of a dismissal on grounds of suspicion, even though a certificate of incapacity exists. In general …
Termination only on the basis of suspicion – Basics and difficulties
We recently reported on third parties’ pressure to terminate an employee in our blog. This time, too, we would like to take a current judgment (Federal Labour Court of Germany (“Bundesarbeitsgericht”) from 2.3.2017, docket number 2 AZR 698/15) as an opportunity to report on a further special possible termination: a termination based only on suspicion …
Special case of termination protection: Third parties’ pressure to terminate an employee
The German right of termination is known to be quite strict. A reason for termination is always necessary. It is herefore surprising that such a reason exists even if third parties exert pressure on the employer to terminate the contract (“Druckkündigung”). The basics are presented below. By judgment of 15.12.2016 ( docket number 2 AZR …
Ineffective termination in spite of frequent short term absences due to illness
On 7 March 2017, the Higher Labour Court (LAG Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, docket number 2 Sa 158/16) decided that a termination can be ineffective even though the employee’s absences due to illnesses are frequent and significant. The illness must fulfill the requirements of the negative prognosis that the employee will not come back to work for …
Shortened notice period during probationary period requires clear language
German law allows a short notice period of two weeks during a probationary period, which can be agreed for up to six months. However, if the employment contract generally provides for a longer notice period, without making clear that this longer notice period only applies after the end of the probationary period, that longer notice …
Employer May Ban Employees From Wearing Headscarves
In a recent ruling made on March 14, 2017, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) decided (docket nos. C-157/15, C-188/15) that employers may prohibit staff from wearing Islamic headscarves under certain circumstances. The ECJ held that such prohibitions do not constitute “direct discrimination”; instead, limits on visible religious wear shall be considered permitted under EU …
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