Notice period

The notice period is the time between terminating your contract and its effective end. Since the unified statute, blue-collar and white-collar workers have the same terms, built up by seniority: resigning yourself carries shorter terms (up to 13 weeks) than being dismissed.

How long is my notice period?

Terms are expressed in weeks and grow with seniority. If you resign, it rises from 1 week (less than 3 months of service) to a maximum of 13 weeks (from 8 years of service). If you are dismissed, terms run much longer: roughly 15 weeks after 4 years, rising further per year of service. For seniority built before 2014 transitional rules apply; your payroll provider or union calculates it exactly.

When does it start running?

Notice is given in writing (for your own resignation a registered letter or hand delivery with duplicate suffices) and the term starts the Monday after the week in which it was served. During the term you keep working with pay and benefits, and you are entitled to job-search leave to find a new job.

Notice or severance payment

Instead of having the term worked, an employer can end the contract immediately and pay out the remaining term as severance. A mutual agreement on a shorter term is also possible, for example because your new employer wants you sooner. Also read our guide on resigning professionally.