Contracts in Germany should be in English or German and may be bilingual. They must be in writing and signed by both parties. A contract should include the names and addresses of both parties, the start date, end date if applicable, place of work, job description, salary details including supplements, payment date, working hours, duration of annual holidays, notice periods, and probation period.

Employees in Germany typically work a maximum of 40 hours per week, equivalent to eight hours per day. They must be provided with at least 11 hours of resting time between two working days. Overtime must be explicitly stated in the employee's contract, with higher wage earners not eligible for overtime payments. Overtime compensation ceases at approximately €80K per annum in Western Germany or €70K per annum in Eastern Germany.

While not obligatory, a common probation period in Germany lasts for three months, although it can extend up to six months. The maximum duration for a probationary period is 180 days.

Pensions are common in Germany, and employers often contribute to private pension funds on behalf of their employees.

Non-compete agreements in Germany must be limited in scope and duration, and must include compensation for the entire non-compete period, amounting to at least 50% of the latest salary of the employee. The employer may waive the non-compete before termination, but the obligation to pay the necessary compensation continues for a period of 12 months following the declaration of the waiver.

The minimum wage in Germany ranges from EUR 2,088 per month (EUR 12 per hour) to EUR 2,253.30 per month (EUR 13 per hour).

Individual income tax rates in Germany range from 14% to 45%, calculated based on progressive brackets. Rates are determined by factors such as the employee's tax class and monthly wages, updated annually by the Federal Government.

Employer costs in Germany are typically estimated at 22.6% of an employee's salary. This includes contributions to retirement (9.30%), health insurance (8.61%), unemployment security (1.30%), long-term insurance fee (1.7%), accident security (1.14%), maternity (0.51%), and insolvency money levy (0.06%). There may be variations in percentages due to contribution limits imposed by some employers. Additionally, there is a one-time mandatory fee of $80 USD for handling wet ink employment agreements.

Employers in Germany contribute approximately 20.7% on top of an employee's salary to social security. This includes pension contributions, health insurance, unemployment insurance, nursing care insurance, and accident insurance.

Employees in Germany are federally taxed from 0% to 45% based on their income bracket. Social security contributions amount to 14.7% and include contributions for pension, health insurance, unemployment insurance, and nursing care insurance.

Terminating employment in Germany entails navigating intricate regulations and adhering to specific contractual terms. Employers bear the responsibility of managing the off-boarding process, which may involve various fees and procedural steps tailored to each case.

Terminations in Germany may occur voluntarily by the employee, by mutual agreement, or unilaterally by the employer based on various grounds such as probation, conduct-related issues, person-related factors, business-related reasons, or contract expiration.

Employers in Germany must adhere to minimum statutory notice periods ranging from four weeks to seven months, depending on the length of the employee's tenure. The notice period can be extended by mutual agreement or based on the duration of employment.

While there is no statutory severance requirement in Germany, it is common practice for employers to offer severance pay, especially for employees with more than six months of service. The amount typically ranges from 50% of the monthly salary per year of service, up to six months' salary, depending on the circumstances of the termination and past employer practices.