Individual employment law

Employers typically associate individual employment law with employment contracts, termination of employment and termination-related litigations. But individual employment law has many more aspects. Contract drafters have been obliged to take into account the case law of the Federal Labour Court, which has kept evolving ever since the Law on the General Terms and Conditions [AGB] was extended on 1 January 2002 to include standard employment contracts.
 

At the same time, employment contracts should be kept under regular scrutiny. Compensation models and the organisation of working time are key factors in binding employees to the company. In those without a works council, they have to be agreed on individually with each employee. Employers often have to respond to market influences by amending the contracts of employment. Some of those amendments have an effect only for a limited time. Also, the treatment of employees with protected characteristics should not be underestimated and the provisions of the General Equal Treatment Act [AGG] should be appropriately considered.