Lara Kruse
2 months ago
Thank you so much for your prompt assistance in my rather complex case. I can highly recommend you – reliable, friendly, and straightforward!
Check employment deadlines early
Berlin and across Germany
Employment Lawyer in Berlin
If you face termination, a separation agreement, a warning, or disputes over references, pay, or release terms, early legal assessment matters. Waiting too long often weakens your negotiating position.
Typical employment-law issues:
- ›Termination notices often need immediate review for deadlines, formal defects, and challenge options
- ›Separation agreements affect not only severance, but also unemployment-benefit, release, bonus, and reference issues
- ›Warnings should be assessed before they create strategic disadvantages in later disputes
- ›Outstanding salary, overtime, bonus, and vacation claims can be economically significant as well
You receive a direct legal assessment of the running deadlines, the practical risks, and whether negotiation, litigation, or a structured exit makes the most sense.
Important: After written termination, a three-week deadline for a dismissal protection claim usually applies. That deadline should be checked immediately.
Full service in English language
Luisa Kr
3 months ago
Fast case processing, very friendly contact, would gladly use their services again (not the accident itself, but the handling of the case by Dr. Lerch...)
Dénes B.
2 weeks ago
Mr. Lerch provided me with highly professional, calm, and dedicated support throughout my legal proceedings. I particularly appreciated his honest assessment of my case and the clear communication he maintained throughout the entire process. Thanks to his strategy and preparation, we achieved a significantly better outcome than originally anticipated in the penalty order. I felt well-advised and taken seriously at all times. I can therefore wholeheartedly recommend Mr. Lerch and thank him again for his support. B. Paal
When legal review is especially useful
Termination received
The key issues are deadlines, formal defects, substantive grounds, and whether a claim or negotiation could improve the outcome.
Unfair-dismissal claim
When the three-week deadline runs after dismissal and it needs to be clarified whether a claim or settlement route makes sense.
Review a separation agreement
Before signing, severance, release terms, vacation, references, bonuses, non-compete clauses, and unemployment-benefit risks should be reviewed.
Assess a warning letter
Not every warning should simply be accepted. What matters is whether it is legally supportable and how it may affect later disputes.
Negotiate severance or an exit package
Besides severance, the timing of termination, release, references, variable compensation, and a clean overall package often matter.
Outstanding pay and claims
Salary, bonus, commission, overtime, or unused-vacation claims should be checked early, including any contractual exclusion deadlines.
Reference and release terms
In separation scenarios, reference wording, release terms, return obligations, and communication issues often matter more than expected.
Review a fixed-term contract
The key issues are whether the fixed term is valid, how extensions were handled, and whether the employment should legally continue without a fixed end.
Vacation pay and overtime
Unused vacation pay and overtime claims should be checked early, especially when the employment ends.
Bonus and commission
Variable compensation is often disputed, especially around targets, termination, or release from work.
Discrimination and bullying
Discrimination, exclusion, or systematic workplace conflict should also be assessed early from an employment-law perspective.
Garden leave
Review of salary, unused leave, bonus, and ongoing duties during garden leave.
Dismissal due to illness
Review of prognosis, reintegration issues, balancing of interests, and deadlines after illness-related dismissal.
Change notice and part time
Review of changed terms, part-time requests, and the right response strategy.
Parental leave and return
Review of dismissal protection, part time, and return-to-work conflicts around parental leave.
All topics at a glance
- Bonus and Commission Disputes - Employment Lawyer Variable compensation, targets, and deadlines in Germany
- Change Notice in Employment Law - Employment Lawyer Proposed changes, deadlines, and response options in Germany
- Dismissal Due to Illness - Employment Lawyer Prognosis, balancing of interests, and deadlines in Germany
- Dismissal during Parental Leave - Employment Lawyer Protection, deadlines, and response options in Germany
- Dismissal Received - React Strategically Now
- Employment References - Employment Lawyer Wording, grading, and entitlement in Germany
- Fixed-Term Employment Contracts - Employment Lawyer Validity, extensions, and de-facto permanent employment in Germany
- Garden Leave After Dismissal - Employment Lawyer Pay, leave, and ongoing duties in Germany
- Overtime Pay Claims - Employment Lawyer Documentation, exclusion deadlines, and claim enforcement in Germany
- Part-Time Request in Employment Law - Employment Lawyer Request, refusal, and working-time model in Germany
- Salary Arrears and Outstanding Pay - Employment Lawyer Salary, exclusion deadlines, and claim enforcement in Germany
- Separation Agreements - Employment Lawyer Severance, unemployment risks, and exit terms in Germany
- Termination and Severance Pay - Employment Lawyer in Berlin and across Germany
- Target Agreement and Bonus Disputes - Employment Lawyer Targets, bonus entitlement, and separation context in Germany
- Unused Vacation Pay - Employment Lawyer Unused vacation, termination, and payout rights in Germany
- Employment Warning Letters - Employment Lawyer Content, evidence, and strategic response in Germany
- Workplace Bullying - Employment Lawyer Conflict patterns, documentation, and legal steps in Germany
- Workplace Discrimination - Employment Lawyer Disadvantage, evidence, and response options in Germany
- Summary Dismissal – Employment lawyer
- Redundancy Dismissal – Employment lawyer
- Conduct-Related Dismissal – Employment lawyer
- Dismissal During the Probationary Period – Employment lawyer
- Dismissal During Pregnancy – Employment lawyer
- Employee Transfer – Employment lawyer
- Refused Holiday – Employment lawyer
- Post-Contractual Non-Compete Agreement – Employment lawyer
- Unfair Dismissal Claim – Employment lawyer
Typical employment-law questions
How quickly must I react after termination?
Usually very quickly. A dismissal protection claim generally must reach the labor court within three weeks after receipt of the written termination.
Should I sign a separation agreement immediately?
Usually not. Before signing, it should be reviewed whether the deal is economically sound and whether disadvantages may arise regarding unemployment benefits or references.
Do I always have to accept a warning letter?
No. Whether and how to respond depends on the content, the evidence, and the strategic relevance for later employment measures.
Is severance automatic?
No, there is no automatic severance right in every case. Severance is often achieved through negotiation, settlement, or specific statutory or collective-law frameworks.
How the review usually works
Step 1
Clarify documents and deadlines
The first step is to review the termination notice, separation agreement, warning, or other documents and identify any immediate time pressure.
Step 2
Assess the legal and economic position
The next step is to assess the strength of the position, the practical risks, and which financial points matter most.
Step 3
Define the strategy
Depending on the case, the strategy may be negotiation, litigation, a formal response, or preparation of another structured solution.
Step 4
Implementation and negotiation
Then the negotiation, claim, or document drafting is handled in a way that preserves deadlines and targets commercially sensible results.
About Dr. Lerch
Dr. Philipp Lerch advises clients with a focus on clear legal assessments, precise communication, and economically sensible outcomes. In employment matters, the key is to identify deadlines early, understand the available leverage, and avoid premature decisions.
Related topics
Dismissal and dismissal protection
Deadlines, challenge options, and a sensible response strategy after receiving a dismissal notice.
Severance, termination, and separation agreements
Severance, dismissal protection, and negotiation strategy with a clear view of deadlines and outcome options.
Separation agreement
Unemployment-benefit risks, severance, release terms, references, and structured exit packages.
Warning letter
If a warning letter should not simply remain unchallenged for strategic or legal reasons.
Fixed-term contract
If the validity of a fixed term or extension needs to be reviewed.
Salary arrears
If salary, bonus, or other pay components remain outstanding.
Employment reference
If wording, grading, or the right to a proper reference becomes disputed.
Garden leave
If pay, leave, and bonus issues during garden leave are unclear or disputed.
Dismissal due to illness
If illness, reintegration issues, and dismissal protection need review together.
Change notice
If the employer wants the employment to continue only on changed terms.
Part-time request
If reduction or redistribution of working time needs legal review.
Parental leave and dismissal
If dismissal protection and return-to-work issues become disputed around parental leave.
Target agreement and bonus
If target setting, bonus mechanics, and separation issues become economically significant.