Germany Introduces Four-Week Job Trials as Labour Laws Get a Major Overhaul
Published on 07/16/2026 at 07:22 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
Employees in Germany will soon be able to test a new job for up to four weeks without resigning from their current position, following a cabinet-approved reform package. Under the new "probation work" scheme, workers can switch temporarily to a different employer for a trial period, and in exceptional cases that window extends to six weeks. The existing employment relationship remains untouched during that time.
The measure is part of a broader overhaul of labour rules that the coalition committee passed in July 2026. A central plank extends the maximum duration of fixed-term contracts without a stated reason from two years to four. Employers will be able to hire staff on this basis until 2030 and can renew such contracts up to six times within that period. The previous ban on re-hiring former employees without cause is also lifted, meaning someone who has already worked for a company can again be taken on temporarily without justification.
Another significant change eliminates the requirement for a written agreement to set a fixed term. From January 2027, oral arrangements will be legally sufficient. The government projects that the entire set of measures will cut bureaucratic costs by roughly 600 million euros annually. Since November 2025, it says, overall relief has already reached 10.4 billion euros.
Sick leave rules are tightening as well. As of the same date, employees must present a doctor’s certificate from the very first day of illness. The telephone-based sick note introduced during the pandemic is scrapped. Falsifying information on a medical certificate of incapacity will attract stricter penalties.
The legal minimum wage rises to 14.60 euros per hour in January 2027, up from 13.90 euros. The threshold for mini-jobs climbs to 633 euros a month. For temporary agency workers, planned staged increases will bring the minimum to 15.87 euros by April 2027.
A notable change to dismissal protection targets high earners. From January 2027, employees with annual income above 177,450 euros will no longer enjoy general protection against unfair dismissal. As a counterbalance, the deadline for filing discrimination claims under the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) is extended from two months to four.
The reforms have drawn fierce criticism from unions and a sceptical public. A YouGov poll found 54 per cent of respondents opposed to the extension of fixed-term contracts, with only 26 per cent in favour. Verdi chief Frank Werneke and DGB chairwoman Yasmin Fahimi warned the longer permissible duration of temporary work threatens workers’ planning security and stability. The government counters that the package as a whole reduces red tape and includes additional measures such as digitalisation of employment services and healthcare, along with the abolition of the green environmental sticker for electric vehicles.
Disclaimer regarding our articles: No investment advice, no buy or sell recommendation. Information on prices, companies, and markets is provided without guarantee; changes are possible at any time. Stock market transactions can lead to substantial losses. Our articles are created and reviewed in whole or in part automatically with the support of AI.
