Ten-Minute Termination Meetings Are Now the Norm for Six in Ten German Fired Workers

A fresh study from HR works GmbH, released in early June, reveals that 63% of all dismissal meetings in Germany last ten minutes or less. The same survey of more than 6,000 employees found that only one in three affected workers is allowed to present their side of the story during the conversation.

The research also shows a stark picture on severance pay: almost half of all dismissed employees receive no severance whatsoever. Many workers mistakenly assume they have a legal right to a pay-out when fired. In reality, a statutory claim exists only in exceptional cases — for example, through social plans, collective bargaining agreements, or Section 1a of Germany’s Protection Against Unfair Dismissal Act. That provision grants 0.5 months’ salary per year of service in operational redundancies, but only if the employee waives the right to sue.

Larger businesses typically negotiate social plans during major operational changes. These plans factor in age, tenure, dependants, and severe-disability status. The practical multiplier usually sits at around 0.5 gross monthly salaries per year of service. In large corporations, multipliers can reach 1.0, and court settlements sometimes go even higher.

The format of firings is shifting

Although 59% of dismissals still happen face-to-face, digital channels are gaining ground:

• 22% of terminations are delivered in writing
• 11% via video call
• 8% by telephone

One striking shift: the share of dismissals attributed to artificial intelligence has jumped from 1% in 2022 to 8% in 2026. Employers are increasingly citing AI-driven role reductions as a reason for letting staff go.

Major employers show the pressure

Several ongoing cases illustrate the scale of job cuts:

Evosoft, a Siemens subsidiary, will cease operations in Germany entirely by the end of 2027. All 377 employees are affected, mostly in Nuremberg, as IT development moves abroad.

NTB Bremerhaven is automating its container handling with a €1 billion investment in self-driving shuttles. That move will eliminate roughly 500 of 1,000 positions. Older workers are being offered partial-retirement or early-retirement options.

Dow Chemical is slashing 110 jobs at its Stade site — about 10% of the local workforce.

For anyone affected, a recent ruling by Germany’s Federal Labour Court on 1 April 2026 is crucial: dismissals are invalid if the employer fails to file a mass-layoff notification with the Federal Employment Agency. The rule applies to any 30 dismissals within 30 days at companies with more than 500 employees.

Executives hit especially hard

The number of unemployed managers has risen 14%, to roughly 49,000. Experts advise fired workers to insist on a seven-to-14-day reaction period before signing anything, and to negotiate severance strategically. Multipliers of one gross monthly salary per year of service are common, but tax effects and pension claims must be factored in.

Anyone paying child support should calculate carefully. Berlin’s Higher Regional Court treats severance as a wage substitute in the first year, meaning the recipient must make up the difference between their old net income and unemployment benefits.

Policy changes on the horizon

On 1 July 2026, Germany’s “Bürgergeld” welfare benefit will be renamed “Grundsicherungsgeld”. At the same time, rules for submitting evidence during appeal procedures will tighten. The Federal Ministry for Housing and Construction is also discussing cuts to housing allowance for 2027. Forecasts suggest up to 1.2 million households could be affected.

DGB chair Yasmin Fahimi has sharply criticised the planned savings, warning they endanger domestic demand and overall economic growth.

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