Important changes

• Chat control: To combat online child sexual abuse material, the EU proposed mass scanning of private communications, including encrypted conversations. 15 EU member states are in favor of implementing this law, five are against it, and seven are undecided. Many people are raising concerns about this new regulation, which may violate users' privacy. If you wish to raise your concerns about this regulation, you can do so by submitting a petition online via fightchatcontrol.eu.
• The German Cabinet passes the voluntary military service draft bill. This also opened doors for the reintroduction of compulsory enlistment. [1]
• The U.S. has permanently ended its "de minimis" tariff exemption for all international commercial delivery packages valued at $800 or less, effective August 29, 2025. This means these shipments will now be subject to duties or a flat-rate fee of $80–$200. The goal is to boost customs revenue and stop the import of narcotics such as fentanyl. [2]

Change starts when someone takes action

In February 2025, jogger Yanni Gentsch experienced something many women sadly know too well—being filmed in a sexualized way without her consent while running in a Cologne park.

Instead of staying silent, she confronted the man, demanded he delete the footage, and shared her story publicly.

What shocked her—and many others—was that this kind of voyeuristic photography is not currently illegal in Germany.

Refusing to accept that, Yanni launched a petition demanding stronger protections. The response was overwhelming: nearly 120,000 people signed.

Their voices reached NRW’s Justice Minister, Benjamin Limbach, who has now pledged to take the initiative to the federal level and push for a nationwide law.

This story is a powerful reminder: change starts when someone takes action.

Yanni could have walked away, but instead she stood up—not only for herself, but for everyone affected by these violations.

If you ever witness something wrong, remember—you too can make a difference. Speaking up, supporting those targeted, or even starting a conversation can spark real change.

Subscribers-only Facebook group

Thank you all who have already joined the group. For those who haven't, here is the link.

The goal of this group is to

• Support each other and share experiences and advice.
• We'll keep you informed about the latest news and changes in Germany.
• Organize online and offline events, webinars, and meetups.
• And more..

Let us build a strong community of expats together.

Your rights as an employee in Germany

1. Written form only: Termination must always be in writing and signed. Verbal or email notices are invalid (§ 623 BGB). This applies to both employee and employer. Thus, if your boss fires you via email or WhatsApp message, it's invalid.
2. Notice periods: Notice periods are set by law (§ 622 BGB). A different notice period may be agreed upon in the collective agreement. Employers cannot shorten them at will. The notice period increases with the number of years you have been working for the company.
3. Dismissal protection: If you have worked more than 6 months and the company has more than 10 employees, the employer needs a valid reason to dismiss you (§ 1 KSchG). More on it later.
4. Three-week deadline: If the employee wants to challenge the termination, they must file a lawsuit (Kündigungsschutzklage) at the labor court within 3 weeks of receiving the written notice (§ 4 KSchG). You can file the lawsuit with or without a lawyer.
5. Unemployment benefits: The employee must register with the Agentur für Arbeit immediately after the written notice. If you resign voluntarily or sign a termination/severance agreement, there will be an unemployment benefit suspension (Sperrzeit) of up to 12 weeks (§ 159 SGB III).

Termination Protection in Germany (§ 1 KSchG)

Who is protected?

• Employees who have worked more than 6 months with the same employer.
• Companies with more than 10 employees.

When is a termination invalid?

If it is “socially unjustified.”

What counts as a valid reason?

• Personal reasons – e.g., long-term illness or lack of ability to work.
• Behavioral reasons – e.g., serious misconduct or repeated breaches of duty.
• Operational reasons – e.g., job cuts due to business restructuring.

Extra protection in larger companies

The employer cannot terminate your job contract in the following cases.

• You could have been reassigned to another job.
• The works council formally objects to the termination.

How should you act when you are EXPECTING a termination?

Here is how you should act when you are EXPECTING a termination.

• Get Employment legal protection insurance if you don’t have one.
• Start looking for jobs.
• Prepare yourself mentally and financially.

Here is how you should act when RECEIVING the dismissal news.

• You should always state clearly that you want to continue working for your employer.
• Never sign any document or agree to the termination or severance package immediately.
• Check if you have special protection against dismissal.
  • You are on maternity or parental leave.
  • You are a member of the workers’ council.
• ​Consult a lawyer specializing in labor law to clarify your doubts.

​What is a fair severance pay in Germany? ->​

Who can help you resolve issues with your insurance company in Germany?

Learn more about the insurance ombudsman in Germany.

Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X, Instagram, and Pinterest for daily insights about Germany.

Technical failure at PayPal

A technical failure at PayPal disabled its fraud‑detection systems, which are normally responsible for filtering out suspicious direct debit transactions.

As a result, several German banks—including Bayerische Landesbank, Hessische Landesbank, and DZ Bank—decided to block PayPal direct debits. This resulted in blocked payments worth €10 billion.

This blocking occurred after banks noticed “many millions of direct debits” from PayPal in the preceding week that appeared dubious.

PayPal characterized the incident as a temporary service interruption, not a security breach.

If you have your PayPal direct debit blocked, you now know the reason.

A Request 🙏

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You can help us compete in Google search by leaving reviews on Google. These really (yes, really) help and are a vital part of Google's discovery and recommendation algorithms.

So, if you find what we are doing helpful, please leave a simple star rating or a short review on Google. This will help more users discover GermanPedia.

Latest News

• Rheinmetall opens a new factory in Germany to increase the manufacturing of 155mm artillery. [1]
• Germany, France, and Spain are working to revive the ambitious FCAS fighter jet project. It's a European flagship defense initiative worth over €100 billion. However, tensions over leadership and workshare distribution between Dassault and Airbus are stalling progress. German Chancellor Merz and French President Macron are meeting in Toulon, France, to get the project on track. [2]
• Unemployment in Germany crossed the 3 million mark. [3]
• German authorities conducted 576 human trafficking investigations in 2024. It's the highest since 2000. German authorities also see a sharp rise in child sexual abuse cases, with over 18,000 incidents recorded. [4]

Community Shoutouts! 📣

• We have partnered with a tax advisor from a Lohnsteuerverein. A Lohnsteuerverein is a non-profit organization. They assist employees with their tax returns and are the most affordable option after tax software. If you haven't filed your taxes yet, you can check if you qualify for a Lohnsteuerverein and how much the tax filing costs here.
• GermanPedia is now on Substack. We'll also post our weekly newsletter on Substack. The reason is to reach more people. On Substack, you can find several great newsletters about Germany. GermanPedia is now one of them. If you are reading other newsletters on Substack, you can now also read GermanPedia.
• Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X, Instagram, and Pinterest to get more insights about Germany daily.

Whether it's a must-visit place, a life hack, or an inspiring story, we’d love to hear from you.

New and recently updated guides

• ​Drinking culture in Germany​
• ​Rental scams in Germany​
• ​Hiring your first employee in Germany​
• ​Sell a property in Germany​

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