Work in Germany. Notice of termination by e-mail. Termination of work contract is one of the things no one can afford to be careless. Here is what you need to know about termination of employment contract in Germany by e-mail?
The German Civil Code (BGB) clearly defines this case. Pursuant to § 623 BGB, termination of an employment contract must always be in writing. This means all non written termination notices are void, for example, notices sent by e-mail, fax, SMS, WhatsApp or similar. Verbal termination is also not legally permissible. These rules apply to both employers and employees. The written form requirement cannot be waived by the provisions of the employment contract.
Even with a written notice, it only becomes valid if the letter is signed by hand. Although legally instead of a signature, it is also permissible to “initialize”, but in practice it does not play a role. The signature on the document does not have to be legible.
Employees who receive a notice of termination by e-mail or otherwise, may challenge it in court after three weeks notice.
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Source: Merkur