Probezeit in Germany: 9 questions about probation, answered

At most six months. If a contract says longer, the normal notice period applies after the first six months. For an Ausbildung (apprenticeship) the rule is different: the Probezeit must be between one and four months.

With two weeks' notice (§ 622 BGB). This works both ways — you can also quit with two weeks' notice. A collective agreement (Tarifvertrag) can set different periods. The employer does not need to give a reason during this time.

No. A Kündigung must be on paper with a handwritten signature (§ 623 BGB). E-mail, SMS, fax or a WhatsApp photo of the letter are not valid. This also applies in the Probezeit — no exceptions. If you get one by WhatsApp, keep it and get advice quickly.

Yes. A Kündigung that reaches you on the last day of the Probezeit is still allowed with the two-week notice. The job then ends two weeks later, after the Probezeit.

The Kündigungsschutzgesetz (protection against unfair dismissal) starts after six months without a break in the job — and only in a business with more than ten employees. Part-time staff count partly: up to 20 hours a week as 0.5, up to 30 hours as 0.75. Trainees do not count. In a small business, this protection does not apply even after six months.

Yes, but step by step. You earn one twelfth of your yearly holiday for every full month. The full yearly holiday is yours after six months. During the Probezeit the employer can say no to a holiday request for business reasons.

Report it at once and get a doctor's note (Krankmeldung). In the first four weeks of a new job, the employer usually does not pay you. Your health insurance pays Krankengeld instead: 70 % of your regular gross pay, but not more than 90 % of your net pay. From the 29th day, the employer pays your normal wage.

Not beyond the six months. In practice, some employers offer a trick: a termination agreement with a longer end date and a promise to rehire you if it goes well. This is only possible if you agree. Read it carefully before you sign, and get advice if you are unsure.

No. Under § 17 Mutterschutzgesetz, a Kündigung is not allowed during pregnancy and until at least four months after the birth — also in the Probezeit. This applies if the employer knows, or if you tell them within two weeks after you receive the Kündigung.