If you receive a notice of termination, you must react quickly. Important: You only have 3 weeks to file a complaint against the termination!

1. If there is a works council at your company, the first thing you should ask is whether it has been informed of the termination. If this is not the case, the termination is ineffective. However, you only have three weeks to defend yourself against the termination in court.
2. If you are a trade union member, contact the local office immediately. They will check your termination. The union will represent you before the labour court if necessary.
3. If you are not a trade union member and still want to defend yourself against the termination, you must file an unfair dismissal complaint with the competent labour court. You can be represented by a specialist lawyer for labour law.
4. Immediately register as a “jobseeker” at the employment agency (Agentur für Arbeit). You must contact them within 3 days of receiving your termination notice. Otherwise you risk losing your claims.

If you are unsure what to do, contact your local Fair Integration advice centre.