Germany (§ 622 BGB) & France Statutory Termination Notice & Severance Calculator
Calculate mandatory European statutory notice periods based on seniority and standard German Abfindung (0.5 month/year) or French Indemnité de licenciement.
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2. Your result Live Output
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3. How the rule works
Who this is for
Employees in Germany or France who have received notice of termination and want to check the statutory notice period, and international employers planning a dismissal there.
Collective agreements and contracts often give longer notice; the statutory periods here are minimums.
What to have ready
- The original termination letter and the date you received it.
- Your employment contract and any collective agreement.
- Your start date and gross monthly salary.
- The number of employees at the employer (Germany).
The rule
In Germany, § 622 BGB sets a basic notice period of four weeks to the 15th or the end of a calendar month. When the employer gives notice, the period increases with length of service: one month to the end of a calendar month after two years, two months after five, three after eight, and up to seven months after 20 years. Under § 623 BGB, termination must be in writing with a handwritten signature; email or a scanned letter is not enough. An employee who wants to challenge the dismissal under the Protection Against Dismissal Act (KSchG) must sue within three weeks of receiving it (§ 4), or the dismissal is treated as valid (§ 7). Severance is not generally a legal right; § 1a KSchG provides 0.5 months' pay per year only if the employer offers it in an operational dismissal and the employee does not sue.
In France, Article L1234-1 of the Code du travail sets notice of one month for six months to two years' service and two months after two years, unless a collective agreement provides more. After eight months' service, an employee dismissed for reasons other than serious misconduct is entitled to the legal severance payment: one quarter of a month's pay per year for the first ten years and one third per year after that (R1234-2).
Read the official text:
- § 622 BGB (Gesetze im Internet)
- § 623 BGB (written form)
- § 4 KSchG (three-week deadline)
- Service-Public.fr: indemnité de licenciement
Worked example: one German and one French employee
Both earn €5,200 a month. The German employee has 5 years' service and receives a signed letter on March 10, 2026. The French employee has 4 years' service.
Germany: 2 months to end of a month -> employment ends May 31, 2026
Deadline to sue (3 weeks) -> March 31, 2026
§ 1a offer, if made -> 0.5 x €5,200 x 5 = €13,000
France: notice -> 2 months
legal severance -> 1/4 x €5,200 x 4 = €5,200Common mistakes
- In Germany, missing the three-week deadline while negotiating. File first if in doubt.
- Treating an email dismissal as valid in Germany. Without the written form under § 623 BGB it is void.
- Assuming German severance is automatic. It usually comes from settlement or a social plan.
- In France, ignoring the collective agreement, which often sets longer notice or higher severance.
Limits of this tool
- Employment rules vary by country and by collective agreement; these are statutory minimums.
- KSchG protection generally applies only after six months' service at employers with more than ten employees.
- Special protections apply to pregnant employees, works council members and others.
Sources were last checked in October 2026. Statutes are amended often; if the official text differs from this page, the official text controls.
4. Clear Next Steps & Statutory Action Plan
- Note the exact date the termination letter was received and in what form.
- Work out the statutory notice and, in Germany, the three-week deadline.
- Check your contract and any collective agreement for longer notice or severance.
5. Frequently Asked Statutory Questions (German Civil Code § 622 BGB & KSchG § 1a; French Code du travail L1234-1 & R1234-2)
What if I miss the three-week deadline in Germany?
Under § 7 KSchG the dismissal is treated as valid from the start. Late filing is allowed only in narrow cases under § 5.
Is an emailed dismissal valid in Germany?
No. Section 623 BGB requires written form with a handwritten signature, and electronic form is excluded.
Does France require severance?
Yes, after eight months' continuous service, unless the dismissal is for serious or gross misconduct. The minimum is set in R1234-2.