At the beginning of 2021, extensive changes in German employment law entered into force. In this newsletter, we would like to draw your attention to some of the changes that are particularly significant for employers. Likewise, we will provide insight into some restrictions on public life the German Federal Government decided on January 19, 2021
We are currently in the 9th month of the Corona pandemic—a time during which vast amounts of different regulations were passed at state and federal level and in some cases were overturned again by the courts. With this update we would like to provide you with an overview of current regulations particularly relevant for employers.
Depending on the position to be filled, employers often offer desired applicants a sign-in bonus at the conclusion of the employment contract. This of course makes a job change much more attractive for the new employee, and at the same time such a sign-in bonus can compensate for any losses in variable salary components that may occur when the old employment relationship is terminated.
The spread of the coronavirus in Germany has led to an epidemic situation of national importance. The declaration of this situation by the German Bundestag is a unique process which, as is not difficult to see, has a deep impact on many areas of life. The epidemic situation and the associated restrictions lead to in some cases extreme deviations, especially in the working environment. During the corona pandemic, a large number of employers have switched to enabling their employees to work from home. Through that, it became possible to reduce the impact of the pandemic on companies to some extent.
According to § 3 ArbSchG (German Occupational Safety and Health Act), it is the employer’s responsibility to take measures for occupational safety and health, thus ensuring a safe working environment for employees. This also applies in principle if employees do not perform their work on the company premises, but work from home or remotely.
