What is a Betriebsvereinbarung (company agreement)?

This is a company agreement between the works council and the management or employer.

There are no such company agreements if there is no works council. Negotiating these agreements is one of the main tasks of a works council.

Company agreements are binding for the employer and the employees and apply in the same way as laws or collective agreements.

However, a company agreement may not violate collective agreements, laws, regulations or EU law.

A company agreement covers aspects such as working time models, occupational health and safety or the use of the internet, e-mails and social media in the company.

In the public sector, the agreements between the department and the staff council are called "work agreements".