Food and Catering Union (NGG)

• Labour law advice for employees in the hospitality industry
• Members of the NGG are entitled to free legal protection
• Consultancy locations throughout Germany

To the contact

Gastro-Hotline of the NGG

• Labour law advice for employees in the hospitality industry
• Free of charge

To the contact

Faire Mobilität [Fair mobility]

• Labour or social law counselling in different languages for European migrants and refugees in all sectors 
• The Fair Mobility counselling centre in Berlin provides counselling in cooperation with the Berlin Counselling Centre for Migration and Good Work.
• Consultancy locations throughout Germany
• Free of charge

To the contact

Arbeit und Leben [Work and life]

• Labour or social law advice for mobile workers from predominantly European countries
• Consultancy locations throughout Germany
• Free of charge

To the contact

Berlin Counselling Centre for Migration and Good Work (BEMA)

• Labour or social law advice for employees in all sectors, regardless of origin or residence status
• Counselling in several languages in Berlin: German, English, Polski, русский, româna, Moldovan, български, français, español, اﻟﻌﺮﺑﯿﺔ
• Free of charge

To the contact 

1. On labour law issues
2. On social and residence law issues

Faire Integration [Fair integration]

• Labour or social law counselling in various languages for migrants and refugees in all sectors 
• Counselling in several languages (in Berlin: German, English, Russian)
• Consultancy locations throughout Germany
• Free of charge

To the contact

Faire Mobilität  [Fair mobility]

• Labour or social law counselling in different languages for European migrants and refugees in all sectors 
• The Fair Mobility counselling centre in Berlin provides counselling in cooperation with the Berlin Counselling Centre for Migration and Good Work.
• Consultancy locations throughout Germany
• Free of charge

To the contact

Citizens' hotline of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs 

• Labour or social law advice for citizens in all sectors 
• Different telephone numbers for different topics, e.g., labour law or part-time and mini-jobs
• Sign language and easy language
• Free of charge

To the contact

1. Advice on part-time work, partial retirement, mini-jobs 030 221 911 005
2. Labour law advice 030 221 911 004

Minijobzentrale

• Advice on mini-jobs for employers and employees 
• Sign language and easy language
• Free of charge

To the contact

Employment Agency: 

• Advice for employers and employees 
• Various topics such as career counselling, unemployment benefit, job placement, child benefit, etc. 

To the contact:

1. Register unemployed
2. Job search

Supervisory authority for occupational health and safety, maternity protection, and protection against dismissal

• The Berlin State Office for Occupational Safety, Health and Technical Safety - LAGetSi - is the supervisory authority for occupational safety in Berlin
• Responsible for occupational health and safety, maternity protection, and protection against dismissal

To the contact

Integration Office: 

• Website in easy language and sign language
• The contact in Berlin is the Berlin State Office for Health and Social Affairs - Inclusion Office

To the contact 

Labour Court: 

• Your competent labour court depends on the location of your employer. 

To the location search

Other advice centres

• Here you can find an overview of other advice centres compiled by the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) and Fair Mobility: 
• Other advice centres

Here you will find all the templates that ArbeitGestalten offers on this website: 

• Antrag auf Ausweitung des Arbeitszeitvolumens
• Antrag auf Niederschrift der wesentlichen Vertragsbedingungen
• Bereitstellung der Meldebescheinigung der Sozialversicherung
• Muster Meldebescheinigung der Sozialversicherung
• Geltendmachung für offene Lohnansprüche
• Gedächtnisprotokoll
• How to Dienstplan
• FAQ Nettoarbeitszeit
• Working time calendar
• Working time checklist for occupational health and safety
• Work certificate for employment agency
• Holiday calculator mini-jobs

Write down weekly: 

• When did you work? (date and time)
• What did you do for work? (Activity)
• Where did you work? (Work address and place, for example kitchen)
• Was I paid?

So, you record your: 

• Working hours
• Overtime
• Breaks
• Place of work
• Activity
• Paid salary
• Holiday periods
• Sick leave
• Further and advanced training

Here you will find a detailed working time calendar. Keep all documents that you receive from your employer or that you provide to your employer.

Your employer is obliged to document different areas of your work as well. For example, your employer must document your working hours if you work in a mini-job or in the hospitality industry in general. Your employer must also always record your overtime. Employers often use rosters for documentation. So, make sure that your duty roster is always up to date and that the hours you have actually worked are recorded. Furthermore, your employer must send you your contract and working conditions in writing, as well as your social security registration certificate. Here is a list of documents that your employer must provide you with: 

• Minutes of terms and conditions of employment (see Employment contract: 2. What should be in my employment contract?)
• Proof of compulsory registration for social insurance (see Wages: 26. How do I know that my employer has registered me for compulsory social insurance?)
• Pay slip (see Wages: 6. Am I entitled to a pay slip?)

Keep all the supporting documents that you receive from your employer. File them neatly and preferably digitise them (for example scan/photograph them). 

Make sure you keep the following documents and file them properly: 

• Transcript working conditions 
• Proof of obligation to register for social insurance 
• Payroll
• Income tax certificate
• Occupational health and safety instructions 
• Data protection documents 
• Leave certificates (leave requests and confirmations)
• Certificates of incapacity for work in the event of illness
• SMS, messenger messages, emails, letters from your employer

If your employer hands you documents, and wants you to sign them, always take the time to read them through first. Only sign a document if you understand everything! This applies, for example, to employment contracts, termination agreements, blank forms or pay slips.  

Do not let your employer put you under pressure. You are not obliged to sign a document immediately. You can take it home and read it at your leisure. You can also get support and advice! If your employer forces you to sign a document immediately, be extra vigilant and seek support immediately. Do not be intimidated!

• Document your work. 
• Keep all supporting documents. 
• Discuss with your colleagues at work. Do you have similar problems?  
• Contact the works council. 
• Contact your trade union. 
• Contact counselling centres. 
• If necessary, file a complaint with the labour court. Observe the deadlines for filing a complaint. 

A works council in a company/enterprise is an elected body that represents the employees and their rights and works to achieve them. For example, the works council has a say in decisions on working hours, duty rosters and the recruitment of employees, and the employer cannot decide alone. 

In general, works councils have extensive co-determination rights in the workplace. This is regulated in the German Works Constitution Act. Through the works council, employees are able to help shape the working conditions in their company. 

Works councils represent the interests of the employees and are also the contact persons for the employees in case of conflicts with the management. Works council members have special protection against dismissal and therefore do not have to fear losing their jobs as a result of their work on the works council. 

Video: Briefly explained: What is a works council?

In companies with five or more employees, the workforce has the right to elect a works council. The works council consists of one or more members, depending on the number of employees. 

Works councillors represent the interests of workers and do this in addition to their paid work. However, they are allowed to interrupt their working hours to carry out works council work and the employer may not treat them differently or less favourably for doing so. Only in companies with more than 200 employees are works councillors released from their paid work in order to carry out works council work. 

Out of approximately 230,000 companies in the hospitality industry in Germany, only about 900 have a works council.

§ 1 Abs. 1 Errichtung von Betriebsräten Betriebsverfassungsgesetz 

In Betrieben mit in der Regel mindestens fünf ständigen wahlberechtigten Arbeitnehmern, von denen drei wählbar sind, werden Betriebsräte gewählt. […]

§ 9 Zahl der Betriebsratsmitglieder Betriebsverfassungsgesetz

Der Betriebsrat besteht in Betrieben mit in der Regel 5 bis 20 wahlberechtigten Arbeitnehmern aus einer Person […].

§ 8 Abs. 1 Wählbarkeit Betriebsverfassungsgesetz

Wählbar sind alle Wahlberechtigten, die das 18. Lebensjahr vollendet haben und sechs Monate dem Betrieb angehören oder als in Heimarbeit Beschäftigte in der Hauptsache für den Betrieb gearbeitet haben. […]

All employees of a company who are at least 16 years old are entitled to vote in works council elections, including mini-jobbers and part-time employees. All employees who are at least 18 years old and have been working in the company for more than six months can be elected to the works council.

§ 7 Wahlberechtigung Betriebsverfassungsgesetz

Wahlberechtigt sind alle Arbeitnehmer des Betriebs, die das 16. Lebensjahr vollendet haben.

In general, works councils have extensive co-determination rights in the workplace. This is regulated in the Works Constitution Act. Through the works council, employees are able to help shape the working conditions in their company. 

Good work is fair, social, and safe. This also includes that a works council should be elected in every company with five or more employees so that the employees can have a say in their working conditions. The works council may in particular have a say in

• Individual personnel measures, such as dismissal, recruitment, grouping and regrouping as well as application procedures
• The code of conduct in the company
• Working time, break, distribution of working time and overtime
• The manner of payment of wages
• Holiday questions
• The introduction and use of technical equipment for the supervision of employees
• Occupational health and safety (measures)
• The company wage structure
• The design of mobile work

§ 99 Abs. 1 Mitbestimmung bei personellen Einzelmaßnahmen Betriebsverfassungsgesetz

In Unternehmen mit in der Regel mehr als zwanzig wahlberechtigten Arbeitnehmern hat der Arbeitgeber den Betriebsrat vor jeder Einstellung, Eingruppierung, Umgruppierung und Versetzung zu unterrichten, ihm die erforderlichen Bewerbungsunterlagen vorzulegen und Auskunft über die Person der Beteiligten zu geben. […]

§ 87 Abs. 1 Mitbestimmungsrechte Betriebsverfassungsgesetz

Der Betriebsrat hat, soweit eine gesetzliche oder tarifliche Regelung nicht besteht, in folgenden Angelegenheiten mitzubestimmen: 

1. Fragen der Ordnung des Betriebs und des Verhaltens der Arbeitnehmer im Betrieb;
2. Beginn und Ende der täglichen Arbeitszeit einschließlich der Pausen sowie Verteilung der Arbeitszeit auf die einzelnen Wochentage;
3. vorübergehende Verkürzung oder Verlängerung der betriebsüblichen Arbeitszeit;
4. Zeit, Ort und Art der Auszahlung der Arbeitsentgelte;
5. Aufstellung allgemeiner Urlaubsgrundsätze und des Urlaubsplans sowie die Festsetzung der zeitlichen Lage des Urlaubs für einzelne Arbeitnehmer, wenn zwischen dem Arbeitgeber und den beteiligten Arbeitnehmern kein Einverständnis erzielt wird;
6. Einführung und Anwendung von technischen Einrichtungen, die dazu bestimmt sind, das Verhalten oder die Leistung der Arbeitnehmer zu überwachen;
7. Regelungen über die Verhütung von Arbeitsunfällen und Berufskrankheiten sowie über den Gesundheitsschutz im Rahmen der gesetzlichen Vorschriften oder der Unfallverhütungsvorschriften;
8. Form, Ausgestaltung und Verwaltung von Sozialeinrichtungen, deren Wirkungsbereich auf den Betrieb, das Unternehmen oder den Konzern beschränkt ist;
9. Zuweisung und Kündigung von Wohnräumen, die den Arbeitnehmern mit Rücksicht auf das Bestehen eines Arbeitsverhältnisses vermietet werden, sowie die allgemeine Festlegung der Nutzungsbedingungen;
10. Fragen der betrieblichen Lohngestaltung, insbesondere die Aufstellung von Entlohnungsgrundsätzen und die Einführung und Anwendung von neuen Entlohnungsmethoden sowie deren Änderung;
11. Festsetzung der Akkord- und Prämiensätze und vergleichbarer leistungsbezogener Entgelte, einschließlich der Geldfaktoren;
12. Grundsätze über das betriebliche Vorschlagswesen;
13. Grundsätze über die Durchführung von Gruppenarbeit; Gruppenarbeit im Sinne dieser Vorschrift liegt vor, wenn im Rahmen des betrieblichen Arbeitsablaufs eine Gruppe von Arbeitnehmern eine ihr übertragene Gesamtaufgabe im Wesentlichen eigenverantwortlich erledigt;
14. Ausgestaltung von mobiler Arbeit, die mittels Informations- und Kommunikationstechnik erbracht wird.

The project "Strengthening Workplace Representation in Berlin Companies" supports works councils in Berlin companies with fewer than 200 employees. It offers free workshops, training, and legal advice for works councils. The project is funded by the Senate Department for Integration, Labour and Social Affairs. 

Trade unions negotiate collective agreements with employers or employers' associations. Trade unions represent their members in collective bargaining. (see Wages: 1. Am I entitled to the collectively agreed wage?)

The members are employees. There are eight major trade unions in Germany representing workers in specific sectors. 

Workers who are members of a trade union are entitled to the collectively agreed wage. Trade unions also support their members in case of problems with employers and offer legal protection in labour and social law. Furthermore, trade unions offer advice on labour law, further training and qualification measures and support in setting up a works council (see Consultations: 11. When can I set up a works council?).

The Food and Catering Union (NGG) represents workers in the hospitality industry. One in ten workers in the hospitality industry is unionised.

Here is a video that briefly explains what a trade union is: What is a trade union?

Here you will find an overview of trade unions in Germany that are organised in the umbrella organisation Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund (DGB).

There is a fee for union membership. It costs about one per cent of your monthly wage. Trade unions use membership fees to fund their staff, who provide free advice and support to members. It also funds strikes and lawyers who provide free legal protection for members. 

At the NGG, for example, you can expect the following benefits: 

• Free advice and information
• Free legal protection
• Collective agreement
• Support in the event of a strike
• Educational offers
• and much more

Here you will find all the advantages at a glance.  

No, you do not have to tell your employer if you are a member of a trade union. If your employer asks you, you have the right to lie, for example in a job interview.