{"id":126,"date":"2026-06-08T19:05:51","date_gmt":"2026-06-08T19:05:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/?page_id=126"},"modified":"2026-06-14T16:01:47","modified_gmt":"2026-06-14T16:01:47","slug":"termination-agreement-germany","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/en\/termination-agreement-germany\/","title":{"rendered":"Termination\n          Agreement (Aufhebungsvertrag) in Germany"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<main id=\"main-content\">\n\n\n    <section class=\"hero-meridian hero-meridian--money\" aria-labelledby=\"page-h1\">\n      <div class=\"hero-meridian__rings\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/div>\n      <div class=\"container hero-meridian__inner\">\n        <span class=\"hero-meridian__breadcrumb\"><a href=\"\/en\/\">Home<\/a> &middot; <a href=\"\/en\/services\/\">Services<\/a>\n          &middot; <a href=\"\/en\/employment-law\/\">Employment Law<\/a>\n          &middot; Termination Agreement<\/span>\n        <h1 class=\"hero-meridian__h1\" id=\"page-h1\">Termination\n          Agreement (Aufhebungsvertrag) in Germany<\/h1>\n        <p class=\"hero-meridian__lead\">A termination agreement\n          (Aufhebungsvertrag) ends the employment relationship by\n          mutual consent &mdash; often with severance. The principal\n          risk for the employee is a Sperrzeit under\n          &sect;&nbsp;159 SGB III. We advise employers and employees\n          on negotiating, reviewing and structuring termination\n          agreements, in German and English.<\/p>\n        <div class=\"hero-meridian__actions\">\n          <a href=\"\/en\/contact\/\" class=\"btn btn-light btn-lg\">\n            Request Advice<\/a>\n          <a href=\"#ta-what\" class=\"btn btn-ghost-light btn-lg\">\n            Learn more &darr;<\/a>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n    <div class=\"container\">\n      <aside class=\"summary-box\" aria-label=\"At a glance\">\n        <span class=\"summary-box__eyebrow\">At a Glance<\/span>\n        <p class=\"summary-box__text\">A termination agreement\n        (Aufhebungsvertrag) ends the employment relationship by\n        mutual consent &mdash; often with severance. The principal\n        risk for the employee is a Sperrzeit under\n        &sect;&nbsp;159 SGB III. Where the employee causes the end\n        of the employment relationship without an important reason,\n        unemployment benefits are normally suspended for twelve\n        weeks, subject to the statutory rules allowing a shorter\n        period in specific cases. We advise employers and employees\n        on negotiating, reviewing and structuring termination\n        agreements, in German and English.<\/p>\n      <\/aside>\n    <\/div>\n    <section class=\"service-body\">\n      <div class=\"container\">\n\n        <details class=\"page-toc-mobile\">\n          <summary class=\"page-toc-summary\">\n            <span class=\"page-toc-title\">Contents<\/span>\n          <\/summary>\n          <nav class=\"page-toc-nav\" aria-label=\"Page contents\">\n            <ul class=\"page-toc-list\">\n              <li><a href=\"#ta-what\" class=\"page-toc-link\">What is an Aufhebungsvertrag<\/a><\/li>\n              <li><a href=\"#ta-sperrzeit\" class=\"page-toc-link\">The Sperrzeit &mdash; &sect;&nbsp;159 SGB III<\/a><\/li>\n              <li><a href=\"#ta-ruhen\" class=\"page-toc-link\">Ruhen &mdash; &sect;&nbsp;158 SGB III<\/a><\/li>\n              <li><a href=\"#ta-wichtig\" class=\"page-toc-link\">Important reason (Wichtiger Grund)<\/a><\/li>\n              <li><a href=\"#ta-bsg\" class=\"page-toc-link\">BSG case law &mdash; B 11 AL 6\/11 R<\/a><\/li>\n              <li><a href=\"#ta-severance\" class=\"page-toc-link\">Severance &mdash; amount and structure<\/a><\/li>\n              <li><a href=\"#ta-executive\" class=\"page-toc-link\">Executive service contracts &mdash; Anstellungsvertrag<\/a><\/li>\n              <li><a href=\"#ta-employee\" class=\"page-toc-link\">For employees &mdash; what to check<\/a><\/li>\n              <li><a href=\"#ta-employer\" class=\"page-toc-link\">For employers &mdash; what to structure<\/a><\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n          <\/nav>\n        <\/details>\n\n        <div class=\"service-layout\">\n          <div class=\"service-prose\">\n\n            <h2 id=\"ta-what\">What Is an Aufhebungsvertrag<\/h2>\n            <p>A termination agreement (Aufhebungsvertrag) is a bilateral\n            agreement under which the employment relationship ends by\n            mutual consent on agreed terms. It requires written form\n            under &sect;&nbsp;623 BGB; electronic form is excluded &mdash;\n            an oral agreement, email, scanned signature or ordinary\n            electronic signature is not sufficient. Unlike an employer\n            dismissal, a termination agreement does not require social\n            justification under the KSchG and may provide for an end\n            date that differs from the applicable notice period. It\n            remains subject to the statutory written-form requirement\n            and the general rules governing contractual validity,\n            avoidance and fair negotiation.<\/p>\n            <p>The parties may agree the termination date contractually.\n            However, an end date before expiry of the applicable\n            employer notice period may have significant\n            unemployment-benefit consequences and must be assessed\n            separately.<\/p>\n            <p>Key provisions to address: effective date; garden leave,\n            including whether it is revocable or irrevocable, whether\n            outstanding holiday and time-off entitlements are credited,\n            and how remuneration, bonuses, benefits and any interim\n            earnings are treated; the scope of any release or settlement\n            clause, including outstanding salary, bonus, commission,\n            overtime, holiday, equity and expense claims; severance\n            amount and payment date; social-security and\n            health-insurance consequences during any garden-leave period\n            and after the agreed termination date; employment reference\n            (Zeugnis) &mdash; content, timing, and grade; return of\n            company property; confidentiality and non-disparagement;\n            post-contractual non-compete if applicable; and &mdash; for\n            foreign employees &mdash; the immigration dimension.<\/p>\n            <p>For the employer, a valid termination agreement can\n            provide greater planning certainty and reduce the risk of\n            dismissal-protection litigation. For the employee, a\n            termination agreement may provide a negotiated exit,\n            severance and certainty on the terms of departure. At the\n            same time, the employee generally gives up the opportunity\n            to challenge an employer dismissal and assumes potential\n            unemployment-benefit risks.<\/p>\n            <p>If the employer has already issued a dismissal,\n            negotiations over a termination agreement do not suspend the\n            three-week filing deadline for a dismissal-protection claim.\n            Further detail is on our\n            <a href=\"\/en\/termination-protection-germany\/\">termination\n            protection page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n            <h2 id=\"ta-sperrzeit\">The Sperrzeit &mdash;\n              &sect;&nbsp;159 SGB III<\/h2>\n            <p>A Sperrzeit for Arbeitsaufgabe may arise where the\n            employee terminates or agrees to terminate the employment\n            relationship and thereby intentionally or through gross\n            negligence causes unemployment without an important reason.\n            The standard Sperrzeit for Arbeitsaufgabe is twelve weeks.\n            It may be reduced to six or three weeks in the specific\n            cases set out in &sect;&nbsp;159(3) SGB III. During the\n            Sperrzeit, unemployment benefits are not paid.<\/p>\n            <p>In addition to the temporary non-payment of benefits, the\n            total entitlement period is reduced under\n            &sect;&nbsp;148 SGB III. It is generally reduced by the\n            number of Sperrzeit days; in the case of a twelve-week\n            Sperrzeit for Arbeitsaufgabe, the reduction is at least one\n            quarter of the original entitlement period.<\/p>\n            <p>The employer&rsquo;s and employee&rsquo;s expectations\n            about the Sperrzeit &mdash; or the wording of the\n            termination agreement itself &mdash; do not bind the\n            Federal Employment Agency. The agency assesses the\n            circumstances independently and on the facts. Merely\n            describing the termination as employer-initiated does not by\n            itself prevent a Sperrzeit if the factual circumstances do\n            not support an important reason.<\/p>\n\n            <h2 id=\"ta-ruhen\">The Separate Question of Ruhen &mdash;\n              &sect;&nbsp;158 SGB III<\/h2>\n            <p>A separate risk, distinct from the Sperrzeit, arises\n            under &sect;&nbsp;158 SGB III. Where the employment ends\n            before expiry of the applicable employer notice period and\n            the employee receives a severance payment or similar\n            compensation, the entitlement may temporarily rest. The\n            statutory calculation under &sect;&nbsp;158 SGB III may\n            result in a shorter period than the full remaining notice\n            period and takes account of factors including the amount of\n            compensation, age and length of service. Ruhen and Sperrzeit\n            are independent and may apply cumulatively.<\/p>\n            <p>The employee should also observe the separate\n            job-seeking notification deadline. As a general rule, the\n            Federal Employment Agency must be notified at least three\n            months before the agreed end date or, where the employee\n            learns of the termination later, within three days. A late\n            notification may trigger a separate Sperrzeit.<\/p>\n\n            <h2 id=\"ta-wichtig\">Important Reason (Wichtiger Grund)<\/h2>\n            <p>Whether an important reason exists depends on the\n            circumstances of the individual case and on whether the\n            employee could reasonably have been expected to avoid or\n            postpone unemployment. The following situations may be\n            relevant but do not automatically exclude a Sperrzeit.<\/p>\n            <p><strong>Threatened employer dismissal:<\/strong> A\n            concrete and seriously threatened employer dismissal for\n            operational or personal reasons may constitute an important\n            reason, particularly where the agreed end date does not\n            precede the date on which the employer could have terminated\n            and the severance structure remains within the recognised\n            parameters. The assessment nevertheless depends on the\n            actual circumstances and on whether the arrangement\n            constitutes an attempt to circumvent the Sperrzeit\n            rules.<\/p>\n            <p><strong>Health reasons:<\/strong> Documented health\n            reasons may constitute an important reason where continued\n            performance of the contractual work is medically\n            unreasonable and no suitable, less disruptive alternative is\n            available. Medical evidence and prior efforts to resolve the\n            situation may be relevant.<\/p>\n            <p><strong>New employment:<\/strong> A concrete and reliable\n            prospect of new employment may be relevant, particularly\n            where the new employment is expected to begin without a\n            material period of unemployment. A merely hoped-for or\n            speculative opportunity is insufficient.<\/p>\n            <p><strong>Closure of the unit:<\/strong> A company closure\n            or permanent shutdown may be relevant where it gives rise to\n            a concrete employer dismissal that would otherwise have\n            occurred. The closure alone does not automatically determine\n            the Sperrzeit assessment.<\/p>\n\n            <h2 id=\"ta-bsg\">BSG Case Law &mdash; B 11 AL 6\/11 R<\/h2>\n            <p>In its judgment of 2&nbsp;May 2012 &mdash;\n            B 11 AL 6\/11 R &mdash; the BSG held that an employee may\n            have an important reason for entering into a termination\n            agreement where a specific operational dismissal is\n            threatened and the agreed severance remains within the\n            framework of &sect;&nbsp;1a KSchG, provided the arrangement\n            does not constitute an attempt to circumvent the Sperrzeit\n            rules. The decision addresses a betriebsbedingte\n            K&uuml;ndigung scenario specifically; other arrangements\n            require a separate assessment. The decision shapes how the\n            Federal Employment Agency assesses termination agreements\n            structured around a threatened operational dismissal.<\/p>\n\n            <h2 id=\"ta-severance\">Severance &mdash; Amount and\n              Structure<\/h2>\n            <p>There is no statutory right to severance pay in every\n            case. Where the Aufhebungsvertrag is agreed because the\n            employer wishes to end the relationship, severance is\n            typically negotiated. The conventional reference point is\n            0.5 gross monthly salaries per year of service &mdash; the\n            same factor used in &sect;&nbsp;1a KSchG &mdash; but the\n            actual amount depends on the legal position, the KSchG\n            litigation risk, the employee&rsquo;s length of service and\n            age, and the commercial circumstances of the exit. Further\n            detail is on our\n            <a href=\"\/en\/severance-pay-germany\/\">severance pay\n            page<\/a>.<\/p>\n            <p>A genuine severance payment compensating for the loss of\n            employment is generally not subject to social security\n            contributions. Amounts that in substance represent salary,\n            bonus, commission, holiday pay or remuneration for a\n            garden-leave period may be treated differently. Severance\n            pay is subject to income tax. Since 2025, the employer no\n            longer applies the reduced-tax calculation under\n            &sect;&nbsp;34 EStG through payroll. Where the statutory\n            requirements are met, the employee may claim the tariff\n            reduction through the annual income-tax assessment. The tax\n            treatment depends in particular on whether the payment\n            qualifies as compensation and produces the required\n            concentration of income. Tax structuring should be\n            coordinated with a tax adviser.<\/p>\n\n            <h2 id=\"ta-executive\">For Executive Service Contracts &mdash;\n              Anstellungsvertrag<\/h2>\n            <p>Managing director exits require separate assessment. The\n            termination of the Anstellungsvertrag and the removal from\n            corporate office (Abberufung) are separate legal steps. The\n            validity of a managing director termination agreement must\n            be assessed under the applicable civil-law and\n            corporate-law rules. Whether employment-law principles such\n            as the BAG&rsquo;s fair-negotiation doctrine apply, and to\n            what extent, depends on the individual&rsquo;s status and\n            the circumstances of the negotiations.<\/p>\n            <p>Executive exits often involve accelerated garden leave,\n            complex severance structures, commercial register filings\n            after resignation of office, and &mdash; where a\n            post-contractual non-compete applies &mdash; the\n            restriction, compensation and any waiver mechanism. The\n            principles of &sect;&sect;&nbsp;74&nbsp;ff. HGB may be\n            relevant, but their application to managing directors\n            requires a separate assessment. Further detail is on our\n            <a href=\"\/en\/managing-directors-shareholders\/\">managing\n            directors and shareholders page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n            <h2 id=\"ta-employee\">For Employees &mdash; What to Check\n              Before Signing<\/h2>\n            <p>An Aufhebungsvertrag presented to an employee requires\n            careful review before any commitment is made. Key\n            questions: Is there an important reason that avoids the\n            Sperrzeit? Does the agreed date comply with the notice\n            period (&sect;&nbsp;158 SGB III)? Is the severance amount\n            proportionate? Is the Zeugnis negotiated with the right\n            grade and timing? Is the scope of any general release\n            appropriate, including outstanding salary, bonus,\n            commission, overtime, holiday, equity and expense claims?\n            Are post-termination obligations (non-compete,\n            confidentiality) proportionate? Are pension rights and\n            social-security and tax consequences addressed? Is there an\n            immigration dimension?<\/p>\n            <p>Depending on the circumstances, allowing adequate\n            opportunity to review the agreement and obtain advice may\n            reduce legal risk. German law does not impose a general\n            mandatory cooling-off period for termination agreements.\n            The employee should observe the job-seeking notification\n            deadline: generally at least three months before the agreed\n            end date, or within three days if the employee learns of\n            the termination later. If the employer has already issued a\n            dismissal, the three-week filing deadline for a\n            K&uuml;ndigungsschutzklage continues to run. Further detail\n            is on our\n            <a href=\"\/en\/employment-law-employees\/\">employment law for\n            employees page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n            <h2 id=\"ta-employer\">For Employers &mdash; What to\n              Structure Correctly<\/h2>\n            <p>From the employer&rsquo;s side, the Aufhebungsvertrag\n            requires: written form under &sect;&nbsp;623 BGB &mdash;\n            the agreement must be signed in the statutory written form\n            before the parties rely on it, and an oral agreement,\n            email, scanned signature or ordinary electronic signature\n            is insufficient; compliance with the BAG&rsquo;s duty of\n            fair negotiation (Gebot des fairen Verhandelns, BAG,\n            7&nbsp;February 2019 &mdash; 6 AZR 75\/18); a clear\n            effective date; and resolution of outstanding claims.<\/p>\n            <p>Employers must comply with the duty of fair negotiation.\n            This does not create a general cooling-off period or a\n            right to withdraw, and requiring an immediate decision is\n            not by itself unlawful. A breach may arise where the\n            employer creates or exploits a situation of psychological\n            pressure that materially impairs the employee&rsquo;s\n            ability to make a free and considered decision. In BAG\n            &mdash; 6 AZR 75\/18 &mdash; the Federal Labour Court\n            confirmed that employees do not have a general statutory\n            right to withdraw. The agreement may nevertheless fail\n            where it was concluded in breach of the duty. The\n            assessment focuses on the circumstances of the negotiation\n            process. Where the duty is breached, the legal consequence\n            may be that the employee must be placed in the position\n            they would have occupied had the agreement not been\n            concluded.<\/p>\n            <p>Employers should avoid giving binding assurances about\n            the Sperrzeit assessment. Further detail is on our\n            <a href=\"\/en\/employment-law-employers\/\">employment law for\n            employers page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n            <p class=\"anwalt-hinweis\">Advice by\n              <a href=\"\/en\/firm\/alexander-kagan\/\">Alexander Kagan,\n              Attorney at Law<\/a>, admitted to the Hanseatic Bar\n              Association Hamburg. As of: June 2026.<\/p>\n            <p class=\"page-disclaimer\">The contents of this page are\n            for general information only and do not constitute legal\n            advice. A mandate is established only upon express\n            acceptance.<\/p>\n\n          <\/div><!-- \/.service-prose -->\n\n          <aside class=\"page-toc-sidebar\" aria-label=\"Page contents\">\n            <div class=\"page-toc-box\">\n              <div class=\"page-toc-title\">Contents<\/div>\n              <nav aria-label=\"Page contents\">\n                <ul class=\"page-toc-list\">\n                  <li><a href=\"#ta-what\" class=\"page-toc-link\">What is an Aufhebungsvertrag<\/a><\/li>\n                  <li><a href=\"#ta-sperrzeit\" class=\"page-toc-link\">The Sperrzeit &mdash; &sect;&nbsp;159 SGB III<\/a><\/li>\n                  <li><a href=\"#ta-ruhen\" class=\"page-toc-link\">Ruhen &mdash; &sect;&nbsp;158 SGB III<\/a><\/li>\n                  <li><a href=\"#ta-wichtig\" class=\"page-toc-link\">Important reason (Wichtiger Grund)<\/a><\/li>\n                  <li><a href=\"#ta-bsg\" class=\"page-toc-link\">BSG case law &mdash; B 11 AL 6\/11 R<\/a><\/li>\n                  <li><a href=\"#ta-severance\" class=\"page-toc-link\">Severance &mdash; amount and structure<\/a><\/li>\n                  <li><a href=\"#ta-executive\" class=\"page-toc-link\">Executive service contracts &mdash; Anstellungsvertrag<\/a><\/li>\n                  <li><a href=\"#ta-employee\" class=\"page-toc-link\">For employees &mdash; what to check<\/a><\/li>\n                  <li><a href=\"#ta-employer\" class=\"page-toc-link\">For employers &mdash; what to structure<\/a><\/li>\n                <\/ul>\n              <\/nav>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/aside>\n\n        <\/div><!-- \/.service-layout -->\n      <\/div><!-- \/.container -->\n    <\/section><!-- \/.service-body -->\n    <section class=\"section-related\" id=\"leistungen\" aria-label=\"Related Services\">\n      <div class=\"container\">\n        <div class=\"section-label\">Related Services<\/div>\n        <h2>Termination Agreement &mdash; Related Pages<\/h2>\n        <div class=\"related-grid\">\n          <a href=\"\/en\/employment-law\/\" class=\"related-card\">\n            <span class=\"related-card-topic\">Services<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-title\">Employment Law Hub<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-arrow\"><\/span>\n          <\/a>\n          <a href=\"\/en\/termination-protection-germany\/\" class=\"related-card\">\n            <span class=\"related-card-topic\">Services<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-title\">Termination Protection Germany<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-arrow\"><\/span>\n          <\/a>\n          <a href=\"\/en\/severance-pay-germany\/\" class=\"related-card\">\n            <span class=\"related-card-topic\">Services<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-title\">Severance Pay Germany<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-arrow\"><\/span>\n          <\/a>\n          <a href=\"\/en\/employment-law-employees\/\" class=\"related-card\">\n            <span class=\"related-card-topic\">Services<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-title\">Employment Law for Employees<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-arrow\"><\/span>\n          <\/a>\n          <a href=\"\/en\/employment-law-employers\/\" class=\"related-card\">\n            <span class=\"related-card-topic\">Services<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-title\">Employment Law for Employers<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-arrow\"><\/span>\n          <\/a>\n          <a href=\"\/en\/employment-contracts-germany\/\" class=\"related-card\">\n            <span class=\"related-card-topic\">Services<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-title\">Employment Contracts Germany<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-arrow\"><\/span>\n          <\/a>\n          <a href=\"\/en\/managing-directors-shareholders\/\" class=\"related-card\">\n            <span class=\"related-card-topic\">Cross-Cluster<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-title\">Managing Directors &amp; Shareholders<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-arrow\"><\/span>\n          <\/a>\n          <a href=\"\/en\/for-executives-skilled-workers\/\" class=\"related-card\">\n            <span class=\"related-card-topic\">For whom<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-title\">For Executives &amp; Skilled Workers<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-arrow\"><\/span>\n          <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n\n    <section class=\"faq-section\" aria-labelledby=\"faq-heading-ta\">\n      <div class=\"container\">\n        <div class=\"section-label\">FAQ<\/div>\n        <h2 id=\"faq-heading-ta\">Frequently Asked Questions &mdash;\n          Termination Agreement Germany (Aufhebungsvertrag)<\/h2>\n        <ul class=\"faq-list\" role=\"list\">\n\n          <li class=\"faq-item\">\n            <button class=\"faq-question\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n              <span>What is the Sperrzeit and how long does it\n                last?<\/span>\n              <span class=\"faq-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span>\n            <\/button>\n            <div class=\"faq-answer\">\n              <p>The standard Sperrzeit for Arbeitsaufgabe under\n              &sect;&nbsp;159 SGB III is twelve weeks, although it\n              may be reduced to six or three weeks in the statutory\n              cases. During the Sperrzeit, unemployment benefits are\n              not paid. In addition, the total entitlement period is\n              reduced under &sect;&nbsp;148 SGB III &mdash; generally\n              by the Sperrzeit days and, in the case of a twelve-week\n              Sperrzeit, by at least one quarter of the original\n              entitlement period. The assessment is made by the\n              Federal Employment Agency on the facts.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/li>\n\n          <li class=\"faq-item\">\n            <button class=\"faq-question\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n              <span>What counts as an important reason (wichtiger\n                Grund) to avoid the Sperrzeit?<\/span>\n              <span class=\"faq-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span>\n            <\/button>\n            <div class=\"faq-answer\">\n              <p>Whether an important reason exists depends on the\n              individual circumstances. In BSG, judgment of\n              2&nbsp;May 2012 &mdash; B 11 AL 6\/11 R &mdash; the BSG\n              held that a threatened operational dismissal may\n              constitute an important reason where the severance\n              remains within the &sect;&nbsp;1a KSchG framework and\n              no circumvention is involved. Other situations &mdash;\n              documented health reasons, a concrete new position, or\n              an operational closure giving rise to a specific\n              dismissal &mdash; may also be relevant. The agency\n              assesses the actual circumstances; the\n              agreement&rsquo;s wording alone does not determine the\n              outcome.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/li>\n\n          <li class=\"faq-item\">\n            <button class=\"faq-question\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n              <span>How much severance should I expect?<\/span>\n              <span class=\"faq-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span>\n            <\/button>\n            <div class=\"faq-answer\">\n              <p>There is no statutory formula. The conventional\n              reference point is 0.5 gross monthly salaries per year\n              of service (the same factor as &sect;&nbsp;1a KSchG).\n              The actual amount depends on the legal strength of any\n              dismissal, the KSchG litigation risk, length of service,\n              age and commercial circumstances. Since 2025, the\n              employer no longer applies the F&uuml;nftelregelung\n              through payroll. Where the statutory requirements are\n              met, the employee may claim the tariff reduction through\n              the annual income-tax assessment.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/li>\n\n          <li class=\"faq-item\">\n            <button class=\"faq-question\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n              <span>Does a termination agreement affect my residence\n                permit?<\/span>\n              <span class=\"faq-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span>\n            <\/button>\n            <div class=\"faq-answer\">\n              <p>For foreign employees holding an employment-based\n              residence title, the end of employment may trigger\n              notification duties and may lead the immigration\n              authority to review, amend or shorten the title. The\n              consequences depend on the specific residence title,\n              any restrictions recorded in the permit or\n              supplementary sheet and the employee&rsquo;s individual\n              circumstances. The employment-law and immigration-law\n              dimensions should be reviewed together before signing.\n              Further detail is on our\n              <a href=\"\/en\/eu-blue-card-germany\/\">EU Blue Card\n              page<\/a>.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/li>\n\n          <li class=\"faq-item\">\n            <button class=\"faq-question\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n              <span>Can I rescind a termination agreement?<\/span>\n              <span class=\"faq-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span>\n            <\/button>\n            <div class=\"faq-answer\">\n              <p>There is generally no statutory right to withdraw.\n              In BAG, judgment of 7&nbsp;February 2019 &mdash;\n              6 AZR 75\/18 &mdash; the Federal Labour Court confirmed\n              that employees do not have a general statutory right to\n              withdraw from a termination agreement. The agreement\n              may, however, be invalid or open to challenge in\n              specific circumstances &mdash; for example, because the\n              statutory written form was not observed, the employee\n              lacked legal capacity, or consent was obtained by\n              unlawful threat or fraudulent deception. Where the duty\n              of fair negotiation is breached, the legal consequence\n              may be that the employee must be placed in the position\n              they would have occupied had the agreement not been\n              concluded.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/li>\n\n          <li class=\"faq-item\">\n            <button class=\"faq-question\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n              <span>When is a termination agreement preferable to a\n                KSchG claim?<\/span>\n              <span class=\"faq-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span>\n            <\/button>\n            <div class=\"faq-answer\">\n              <p>It depends on the legal position, the Sperrzeit\n              risk, and the commercial circumstances. An\n              Aufhebungsvertrag provides certainty &mdash; but only\n              if the Sperrzeit is addressed, the severance is\n              adequate, and outstanding claims are resolved. A KSchG\n              claim preserves all legal options and can run in\n              parallel with settlement negotiations. Filing a\n              dismissal-protection claim does not prevent the parties\n              from negotiating or concluding a settlement. A\n              settlement reached after an employer dismissal may have\n              a different unemployment-benefit risk profile from a\n              pre-litigation termination agreement, particularly\n              where it merely resolves an existing dismissal dispute\n              without bringing the end date forward.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/li>\n\n        <\/ul>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n\n    <section class=\"section-cta\">\n      <div class=\"container\">\n        <div class=\"cta-inner\">\n          <div class=\"section-label\">Request Advice<\/div>\n          <h2 class=\"cta-heading\">Termination Agreement &mdash;\n            Request Advice<\/h2>\n          <p class=\"cta-body\">We advise employers and employees on\n          negotiating, reviewing and structuring termination\n          agreements &mdash; Sperrzeit assessment, severance,\n          Zeugnis, immigration interface and executive exits.<\/p>\n          <p class=\"cta-body\">Please outline your situation briefly.\n          Useful details include your role (employer or employee),\n          the proposed termination date, any existing dismissal\n          notice, and the main open questions.<\/p>\n          <div class=\"cta-actions\">\n            <a href=\"\/en\/contact\/\" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-lg\">\n              Request Advice<\/a>\n          <\/div>\n          <p class=\"cta-body page-meta\">Please do not send\n          confidential original documents before a mandate has been\n          accepted.<\/p>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n  \n<\/main>\n\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n  {\n    \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n    \"@graph\": [\n      {\n        \"@type\": \"Service\",\n        \"@id\": \"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/en\/termination-agreement-germany\/#service\",\n        \"name\": \"Termination Agreement Germany Aufhebungsvertrag Lawyer\",\n        \"description\": \"Legal advice on German termination agreements (Aufhebungsvertrag) \u2014 Sperrzeit \u00a7 159 SGB III, Ruhen \u00a7 158 SGB III, severance, executive exits, BSG B 11 AL 6\/11 R. Kagan Legal Hamburg.\",\n        \"provider\": {\n          \"@type\": \"LegalService\",\n          \"name\": \"Kagan Legal\",\n          \"url\": \"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/\"\n        },\n        \"areaServed\": \"DE\",\n        \"availableLanguage\": [\"English\", \"German\"]\n      },\n      {\n        \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n        \"@id\": \"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/en\/termination-agreement-germany\/#faq\",\n        \"mainEntity\": [\n          {\n            \"@type\": \"Question\",\n            \"name\": \"What is the Sperrzeit and how long does it last?\",\n            \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n              \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n              \"text\": \"The standard Sperrzeit for Arbeitsaufgabe under \u00a7 159 SGB III is twelve weeks, reducible to six or three weeks in statutory cases. During the Sperrzeit, unemployment benefits are not paid. Under \u00a7 148 SGB III, the total entitlement period is also reduced \u2014 for a twelve-week Sperrzeit, by at least one quarter of the original entitlement.\"\n            }\n          },\n          {\n            \"@type\": \"Question\",\n            \"name\": \"What counts as an important reason (wichtiger Grund)?\",\n            \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n              \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n              \"text\": \"BSG B 11 AL 6\/11 R (2 May 2012): a threatened operational dismissal may constitute an important reason where severance stays within \u00a7 1a KSchG parameters and no circumvention is involved. Documented health reasons, a concrete new position or an operational closure giving rise to a specific dismissal may also be relevant. The Federal Employment Agency assesses the actual circumstances.\"\n            }\n          },\n          {\n            \"@type\": \"Question\",\n            \"name\": \"Can I rescind a termination agreement?\",\n            \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n              \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n              \"text\": \"Generally no. BAG 6 AZR 75\/18 (7 February 2019) confirmed no general right of withdrawal. The agreement may be challenged for lack of written form, lack of legal capacity, unlawful threat, deception or breach of the duty of fair negotiation. A breach may require placing the employee in the position as if the agreement had not been concluded.\"\n            }\n          },\n          {\n            \"@type\": \"Question\",\n            \"name\": \"Does a termination agreement affect my residence permit?\",\n            \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n              \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n              \"text\": \"For employment-based residence titles, the end of employment may trigger notification duties and lead the immigration authority to review, amend or shorten the title. Consequences depend on the specific permit, restrictions and individual circumstances. Employment-law and immigration-law issues should be reviewed together.\"\n            }\n          }\n        ]\n      },\n      {\n        \"@type\": \"BreadcrumbList\",\n        \"@id\": \"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/en\/termination-agreement-germany\/#breadcrumb\",\n        \"itemListElement\": [\n          {\n            \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n            \"position\": 1,\n            \"name\": \"Home\",\n            \"item\": \"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/en\/\"\n          },\n          {\n            \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n            \"position\": 2,\n            \"name\": \"Employment Law\",\n            \"item\": \"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/en\/employment-law\/\"\n          },\n          {\n            \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n            \"position\": 3,\n            \"name\": \"Termination Agreement Germany\",\n            \"item\": \"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/en\/termination-agreement-germany\/\"\n          }\n        ]\n      }\n    ]\n  }\n  <\/script>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Home &middot; Services &middot; Employment Law &middot; Termination Agreement Termination Agreement (Aufhebungsvertrag) in Germany A termination agreement (Aufhebungsvertrag) ends the employment relationship by mutual consent &mdash; often with severance. The principal risk for the employee is a Sperrzeit under &sect;&nbsp;159 SGB III. We advise employers and employees on negotiating, reviewing and structuring termination agreements, in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-leistung","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-126","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/126","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=126"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/126\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=126"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}