10 Comments

  1. Stefan v
    April 18, 2013 @ 11:07 pm

    There are always loopholes to a Kündigungsfrist. Canny operators can get away with just about anything. Do your homework and jump through all the hoops, but don’t rely on this to work infallibly. Remember, this is Roman and Napoleonic civil law territory, not British common law. Consistency and fairness sound nice but they are accidental to this culture, regardless of the lipservice payed them. Also, being strongly hierarchical, the lower you are on the ladder the more kicks come with the territory; and until you have 5 generations in country, you’re a newcomer. Remember, the other monkeys in the cage don’t like newbies getting away with stuff they wouldn’t dare risk. It’s how the chief monkeys keep the cage quiet and productive.

    • Andrew
      April 21, 2013 @ 5:42 pm

      You paint a darker picture than I have experienced here. Maybe it is partly of the industry and company that I worked in, but really I have not had problems.

      I am out of the cage running around happy, and actually followed several German’s leads. So it isn’t just us foreigners doing it.

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  4. Jeremy Branham
    March 15, 2013 @ 7:53 pm

    I thought this was your German post saying you were quitting your job 🙂

    • Andrew
      March 16, 2013 @ 11:12 am

      Hmm. Maybe it is at that.

  5. Katherina
    March 15, 2013 @ 10:02 am

    Things are quite similar in London and Switzerland… And even though I was a bit bummed to have to sit through another 3 months of work (during summer), I do appreciate it now. After all, this meant I had a very gradual transition… And had time to organize my life after work! However, some employers do make exceptions. For example, they may allow you to leave before your notice period is over (in which case you get paid pro rata)… Or allow you to take gardening leave.

    • Andrew
      March 16, 2013 @ 11:14 am

      It feels very constraining, and I think it still is on the service contract side. But for work it is actually not too bad. It means you get a chance to give your stuff to others slowly instead of entire mind dump and creates a less stressful leaving in the end. That time to roganize the next step while still being paid is nice too.

      Do tell, what is Gardening Leave?

      • Katherina
        March 16, 2013 @ 11:25 am

        Gardening leave is something companies do when they feel that you might take confidential or sensitive information with you. It means that, during your notice period, you still get paid but don’t get to work anymore (even when you are the one that quits the job). It’s particularly the case when the companies know you’re going to work for a competitor.

        A few months of Gardening leave is what most employees that quit their job wish for! 🙂

        • Andrew
          March 16, 2013 @ 11:49 am

          Wow. We have that pretty much as a matter of course in the US. You give your 2 weeks notice (not months) and you are gone within hours usually. I don’t know of anyone that really works out their notice period. Especially in software companies, they are so worried you are going to steal or damage something.