Undoubtedly driven by an interest in drawing UK-based banks to Frankfurt and becoming an EU hub for US banks post-Brexit, the German government recently picked up a proposal to relax dismissal protection for high-earning bankers. So it may very well soon be easier for banks in Frankfurt to part with their top employees. READ MORE
In practice, managing directors (Geschäftsführer) frequently try to attack the validity of a dismissal and bring unfair dismissal claims. In a recent decision, the Federal Labor Court (Bundesarbeitsgericht) has again rejected such claims. The court reiterates that managing directors do not enjoy rights of protection against dismissal if their appointment as managing director has been in place at the time notice of termination was given.
The German Dismissal Protection Act Does Not Apply to Managing Directors
Pursuant to section 14(1) no. 1 of the German Dismissal Protection Act (Kündigungsschutzgesetz, KSchG), the provisions on dismissal protection
“do not apply, within the operation of a legal entity, to the members of a corporate body which has been appointed to legally represent the legal entity“.
After months of exhausting, on-off negotiations with changing negotiation partners at the table, Angela Merkel’s center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU/CSU) and the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) agreed on a new coalition agreement for a third grand coalition – usually referred to as “GroKo” in Germany. The deal still has now been formally approved by the 460,000 SPD members in a postal vote, the new government has taken up work a couple of days ago. Our previous blog gives a summary of upcoming changes for employers that are addressed in the coalition agreement. READ MORE
