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German notice periods, holiday and sick pay

A notice period always consists of two statements: a length and an end date. The basic four weeks may expire on the fifteenth, the ladder in section 622(2) of the Civil Code only at month end — and that is where most calculations fail. Before all of it stands the written-form rule in section 623, which makes a dismissal by email simply void. The second module: 24 Werktage are four weeks, and twenty days on a five-day week, plus the waiting period, carry-over and the six weeks of sick pay with their two clocks. Two modules with case studies worked on the statute itself.

Foundational2 modules38 minModule 1 free to read

2026 rules — verified on September 22, 2026

Figures are tied to dated, sourced tax constants. A module whose rules have changed is flagged for review, and is unpublished automatically beyond 90 days.

This content is part of the path: Ending an employment relationship· Step 1 of 8· Next step: Dismissal protection, social selection and severance

By the end of this course, you can…

These outcomes are the modules' own: the promise cannot say anything the course does not teach.

  • state the basic period in section 622 of the Civil Code and its two possible end dates
  • apply the ladder of employer periods and recognise their single end date
  • determine notice during probation and its time limit
  • name the cases in which a shorter period may be agreed individually
  • convert the statutory minimum holiday to your own working week
  • keep the waiting period and partial holiday apart
  • determine the duration of sick pay and the condition for it
  • know the two routes on which the same illness creates a fresh entitlement

The programme, module by module

Each module has its own page. Durations are derived from the actual text, never announced by hand.

What you take away

A handout you keep, not just a page you read. The sections are derived from the course itself: what is announced here is exactly what gets generated.

  • Participant handout (PDF)

    PDF

    • Learning objectives (2)
    • Key figures (5)
    • Mistakes to avoid (2)
    • Official sources (2)
  • Exercise workbook (Word)

    Word

    • Learning objectives (2)
    • Key figures (5)
    • Mistakes to avoid (2)
    • Official sources (2)

Answers live in a separate appendix: the participant handout and the workbook stay distributable before the exercise.

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Where this course leads

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Step-by-step guides to the official forms cited in this course.

Read in German

Educational content, current with the sources cited. It does not replace advice tailored to your situation. These courses are neither certifying nor CPF-eligible: they prepare for no certification registered with the French RNCP or specific register.