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Check the dismissal date, deadline, contract, warnings, pay records and messages first.
For EUR 1 million of salary, bonus or severance, a careful chronology can change the negotiation.
Preserve lawful evidence, but avoid taking confidential files you should not access.
Use Caira to build a timeline and draft a response checklist.
A German employment contract is more than just a salary document. Before you sign, see it as a map of the working relationship. Ask what has been promised in writing, what could change over time, how probation will work, how notice is measured, and what proof you’ll need if things end. This checklist goes beyond termination or probation alone. Use it before you sign and when reviewing documents, especially if the contract mentions Probezeit, Kündigungsfrist, collective agreements, side letters, or company policies.
Start with the written information
The Nachweisgesetz from the official source review is your main touchstone for written employment details. Never treat a short offer email as enough. If the real terms are spread across a contract, handbook, commission plan, remote-work policy, or a works agreement, you need to gather everything into one folder. Include the signed contract, annexes, job description, salary breakdown, working-time regulations, bonus or commission details, holiday policy, the probation clause, notice clause, and any reference to a collective agreement. If any clause says crucial details sit in a policy, be sure to save the exact version you’re given.
Check the parties and role
Confirm the employer's name, work location, job title, start date, reporting line, and whether it’s a fixed-term or indefinite job. Is the employer part of a larger group? If so, make sure it’s the same legal entity paying your salary and issuing your official documents. If your job could involve transfers, travel, hybrid or on-call work, weekend duties, or assignments at client sites, the contract should lay this out—don’t rely on informal promises.
A vague mobility clause can matter later. It could affect you if the company decides to change your location or main duties.
Review probation carefully
A Probezeit clause should be clearly identifiable. Note how long probation lasts, which notice period applies, whether confirmation triggers changes to pay or benefits, and if any collective agreement is involved. Don’t assume probation lets either side ignore all other rules. But also avoid thinking a clause is invalid just because it seems tough. For urgent dismissal questions, seek advice right away. For a checklist approach, make sure you know exactly what the document says before day one.
Notice periods and termination form
German law through the BGB covers notice periods and the written form. This is why reading the Kündigungsfrist clause carefully is vital. Compare notice during and after probation, for both employer and employee. Look for service-based extensions, references to collective agreements, and terms on whether notice takes effect at month-end or quarter-end. Remember: Talking about ending employment is not the same as receiving a formal written Kündigung. Whatsapp messages, calendar invites, or offhand remarks don't replace a real termination letter as understood legally. Always check current law and your own files.
Salary, hours, and deductions
Separate your base salary from all extras: allowances, bonuses, commissions, overtime, expense reimbursement, benefits, company car, stock plans, or relocation support. With overtime, check if it’s paid, traded for time off, or silently included in salary. Are there deductions, training-cost repayments, equipment return conditions, or relocation clawbacks? Find and flag them before you sign. Ask what your payslips will look like. A neat table of salary, periods, variable items, and attached evidence beats a long dispute later.
Fixed-term and side-document cautions
If it's a befristet (fixed-term) job, keep the initial agreement and every extension together. Fixed-term details often hinge on specific timing and language, so don’t sign a changed contract after starting without understanding what’s new. Review side letters too. Non-competes, confidentiality promises, intellectual property terms, data policies, and equipment rules can affect you even after employment ends. This guide won’t decide if a clause will hold up in court. Its purpose: help you spot what may become a problem before it’s too late.
A short German request before signing
Betreff: Bitte um vollständige Vertragsunterlagen
Sehr geehrte/r [Name], vielen Dank für den Vertragsentwurf. Vor der Unterzeichnung bitte ich um die vollständigen Unterlagen zu Arbeitsbeginn, Tätigkeitsbeschreibung, Vergütung, Arbeitszeit, Probezeit, Kündigungsfrist sowie etwaigen Anlagen oder Betriebsvereinbarungen, auf die der Vertrag Bezug nimmt. Ich möchte die Unterlagen vollständig prüfen und für meine Akten speichern. Mit freundlichen Grüßen [Name]
Where Unwildered fits
Upload your contract, annexes, offer letter, policies, salary plan, and any German-language text you find confusing. Unwildered can turn your papers into a clause checklist and help you build a quick list of questions for HR, a union, insurance, or Caira legal support.
Sources
BMAS employment guidance
Gesetze im Internet
labour-court information
This article is general information, not legal, financial, medical or tax advice.
