logo
Can you be sacked in Germany for a workplace romance?

Can you be sacked in Germany for a workplace romance?

Local Germany21-07-2025
The subject of relationships between colleagues is once again in the headlines after a married American startup CEO was caught on the 'kiss cam' at a Coldplay concert cuddling the company's head of HR. He has since resigned.
All countries have different rules on this tricky issue, so could an inter office hook-up - even an adulterous one - get you fired in Germany?
Companies in Germany tend to take a more relaxed view of personal relationships in the workplace, especially compared to places where office romances are frowned upon, such as at companies in the United States.
This is due in no small part to German law, which puts heavy emphasis on preserving human dignity and peoples' privacy.
For their part, most workers in Germany are not afraid of dating around the office. A 2012 survey found that
more than half of German workers have had an office romance
, and nine out of ten reportedly said they thought sleeping with colleagues was okay. However the majority of people surveyed thought kissing at work was completely unacceptable.
There are other limits to what's accepted, and German companies can enforce certain rules around personal relationships at the workplace.
READ ALSO:
'Liebeskummer' - How to talk about dating like a German
Article 2.1 of Germany's Basic Law (
Grundgesetz
) protects every person's right to "the free development of his or her personality", and this broad protection also extends to the workplace.
Generally speaking, German law therefore prevents employers from having a say over who you have a relationship with - so long as the nature of the relationship doesn't disrupt your work for the company.
This was upheld in a 2005 ruling by the Düsseldorf Higher Labour Court against the American retail group Walmart.
The company, which was operating in Germany at the time, had attempted to ban romantic relationships among its employees. According to media
reports
, workers had received a notice which said they were not to date or enter into romantic relationships, and additionally prohibited "lustful looks, ambiguous jokes and sexually interpretable communication of any kind".
The Düsseldorf Higher Labour Court ultimately ruled that the blanket ban on romantic relationships between employees was a violation of human dignity, it added that the company must make efforts to protect workers from sexual harassment but that the limits for such provisions would need to be agreed with its works council.
What are your rights around workplace relationships?
In Germany, a person's right to a free choice of partners extends to the workplace, where workers cannot be prohibited from dating or falling in love, even with people they meet in a professional context.
Advertisement
Also, there is no obligation for employees to report their relationship to the boss or to a works council.
Put simply, if your love life is not affecting your work, then it's no-one's business but yours.
This is generally true even if the relationship is between an employee and their superior. However employers may transfer an employee or engage in restructuring to avoid conflicts of interest.
How much can companies regulate romance?
While companies cannot legally enforce a blanket ban on love, or inter office relations, they can take steps to ensure that their business is not negatively affected by personal relationships.
This could include prohibiting intimate acts at the office or during working hours, or making sure that company property - including work phones or computers - are not used for personal chats.
If you are in a senior position and engage in office romance, you should be conscious of the risk of favouritism and may be expected to take steps to avoid any potential conflict of interest.
According to an
article
by Jura law firm, which focuses on employment law in North Rhine Westphalia, companies could therefore require employees to disclose relationships that cross certain levels of hierarchy.
Advertisement
At German media giant Axel Springer SE, for instance, executives are required to disclose relationships with their subordinates. This policy was introduced following a 2021 scandal in which the editor-in-chief of the
Bild
daily newspaper was dismissed after multiple
allegations
surfaced that he had affairs with, and exploited, young colleagues.
READ ALSO:
How to know if you're getting a good severance package in Germany
Employees cannot be dismissed solely for having initiated a workplace relationship. But if a relationship, or its disclosure in the workplace, leads to disruptions then an employer can take certain sanctions such as giving warnings, or even dismissing workers in extreme cases.
Dismissals are usually only justified when a worker has engaged in conduct that violates the terms of their employment contract, and usually requires a warning first.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Germany's economic slump not yet over as economy shrinks unexpectedly
Germany's economic slump not yet over as economy shrinks unexpectedly

Local Germany

time3 hours ago

  • Local Germany

Germany's economic slump not yet over as economy shrinks unexpectedly

Gross domestic product (GDP) in Europe's top economy was down 0.1 percent from the previous quarter, according to preliminary data from federal statistics agency Destatis. Analysts surveyed by financial data firm FactSet had expected zero growth between April and June. The economy's performance was hit by lower investments in several areas, including construction, although household and government consumption provided some support, the data showed. Also on Wednesday, official data showed Italy's economy contracted by 0.1 percent in the second quarter, with exports acting as a drag on the overall performance. France's economic growth however picked up in the April to June period, expanding by 0.3 percent. Growth data for the whole eurozone is due to be released later Wednesday. Destatis also downgraded the result for the German economy's first quarter to 0.3 percent growth, from 0.4 previously. READ ALSO: Germans reluctant to spend despite easing inflation First quarter growth had been been surprisingly strong as US companies rushed to import products before tariffs came into effect, but that front-loading effect lost steam in the second quarter. "After some good figures, it's now back to disappointment for the German economy," said LBBW bank analyst Jens-Oliver Niklasch. "The impression remains that the German economy is treading water. Added to this is the rather unsatisfactory situation with high US tariffs. We will need to make some efforts in Germany to get back on a stable growth path." Advertisement The German economy shrank in both 2023 and 2024 due to a manufacturing slump and weak demand for its key exports, and US President Donald Trump's tariffs are threatening to push it into a third straight year of contraction. Recent indicators, including business and investor confidence surveys, had suggested that the downturn may have bottomed out and some economic institutes expect the economy to return to slight growth this year. READ ALSO: German Chancellor Merz welcomes EU trade deal with US

Germany updates: Cabinet approves 2026 draft budget – DW – 07/30/2025
Germany updates: Cabinet approves 2026 draft budget – DW – 07/30/2025

DW

time5 hours ago

  • DW

Germany updates: Cabinet approves 2026 draft budget – DW – 07/30/2025

German lawmakers will scrutinize the €520.5 billion budget, which includes increased spending on infrastructure and defense next. Meanwhile, Berliners were told the party at the Brandenburg gate is over. DW has more. The German government approved the 2026 draft budget, which includes planned investments totaling €126.7 billion ($146.4 billion) and borrowing of €174.3 billion. It came with a warning from Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil that significant austerity measures will likely be needed starting in 2027. Meanwhile, Germany's economy shrank by 0.1% in the second quarter of the year, according to preliminary data released by the federal statistics office, German Cabinet has approved Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil's 2026 draft budget, which outlines spending of €520.5 billion ($600.3 billion) and new borrowing totaling about €174 billion. Europe's largest economy is shifting away from decades of fiscal conservatism to revive economic growth, modernize its aging infrastructure, and boost military spending. German lawmakers are expected to begin discussions on the budget by the end of September, with final approval anticipated by year's end. Berlin's large New Year's Eve party at the Brandenburg Gate will not take place this year, organizer Benedikt Alder told the German news agency, DPA. The cancellation follows a decision by the Berlin city government to withdraw financial support for the celebration. Berlin's Governing Mayor Kai Wegner told DPA that the city will no longer fund the show, which has drawn thousands of revelers and millions of TV viewers over the decades. "In my opinion, it's not the job of taxpayers to finance such events," Wegner told dpa. "Especially not in times of tight budgets." With no financial backing secured, organizers were left with no choice but to call off the festivities, Alder said. Germany's Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt is reviewing the nationwide use of security software developed by the US company Palantir. A ministry spokeswoman told magazine that the evaluation is ongoing and no decision has yet been made. The software was specifically developed for security agencies and is used by intelligence services, the military, and police. "Palantir is not a neutral IT provider but closely linked to U.S. intelligence agencies with clear geopolitical aims,"Johannes Schätzl, a Social Democrat lawmaker, said. He added that German security forces should not use the company's software. Green Party deputy leader Konstantin von Notz said that at a time when the US government is becoming less reliable, cooperation with Palantir should be ruled out. Dobrindt generally supports the use of such software and received backing from Jens Spahn, a fellow member of the ruling conservative CDU/CSU. Spahn said Palantir "would greatly help" police, adding that criminals use all digital tools available and "the state must keep up within the law." Last week, the Society for Civil Rights and the Chaos Computer Club filed a constitutional complaint against Palantir's use in Bavaria, arguing that it violates privacy rights by linking unrelated individuals to criminal data. The software is used on the state level in Bavaria, Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia. Germany's economy shrank in the second quarter, according to provisional data released on Wednesday. The country's gross domestic product (GDP) fell by 0.1% compared to the first quarter, the federal statistics office Destatis said. This follows a modest revision of Q1 growth to 0.3%. Destatis said the quarterly decline was due to lower investment in machinery, equipment, and construction. However, consumer and government spending provided some support. Year-on-year, GDP remained flat when adjusted for prices, but showed a slight increase of +0.4% when calendar effects were also considered. A rescue mission is underway in northern Pakistan for German Olympic biathlon champion Laura Dahlmeier, who was seriously injured in a rockfall on Laila Peak in the Karakoram mountain range. The 30-year-old was climbing at around 5,700 meters (18,700 feet) when falling rocks swept her away. Her climbing partner raised the alarm after being rescued. Officials say helicopter access is impossible. "The conditions at the altitude where she was injured are extremely challenging, and a team of foreign climbers will launch a ground rescue mission today," Areeb Ahmed Mukhtar, a senior local official in Ghanche district, said. Dahlmeier, a seasoned mountaineer, made history at the 2018 Winter Olympics, winning both the sprint and pursuit events. German news channel Welt TV is launching a weekly program entirely produced and hosted by artificial intelligence. Titled KI-Welt, the show covers topics like AI, robotics, and future tech, with all editorial processes, from research to presentation, handled by AI with human supervision. Jan Philipp Burgard, Welt TV's editor-in-chief, said the experimental show is to show what is already possible with AI. "We won't be able to stop the AI revolution, so we should embrace it and help shape it," he said. A computer-generated avatar anchors the show. The first episode will air on Thursday. Profits at German carmaker Mercedes-Benz have fallen by 55.8% in the first half of the year, the company says. The Stuttgart-based carmaker said post-tax earnings plummeted from €6.1 billion to around €2.7 billion in the first half of the year. The business cited tariffs, lower sales volumes, and costs linked to efficiency measures as reasons for the decline. Looking ahead, Mercedes now expects full-year group revenue to fall significantly below last year's level. The German government is expected to approve the 2026 draft budget on Wednesday, which outlines spending of €520.5 billion ($600.3 billion) and new borrowing totaling about €174 billion. Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil's budget includes €126.7 billion in investments earmarked for modernizing the country. The government, in office since May, has pledged to increase spending to upgrade infrastructure and strengthen the military. Officials also hope the budget will help improve the economic climate, which is projected to recover noticeably in 2025 and 2026 after two years of stagnation. Klingbeil, however, warned this week that significant austerity measures will likely be needed starting in 2027, when a funding gap of approximately €172 billion is expected. from the Bonn newsroom, still staffed by humans. That's no longer entirely the case over at Welt TV, where a new weekly program will soon be produced and presented entirely by artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, the German government is tackling the 2026 draft budget the old-fashioned way, without AI assistance, at least as far as we know. In a notable shift from its long-standing tradition of fiscal restraint, Germany is now spending big: aiming to jumpstart the economy, modernize its aging infrastructure, and boost military investment. We'll be keeping an eye on those stories, and more, right here in this blog.

Mercedes-Benz Welcomes EU-US Deal After Profits Plunge On Tariff Woes
Mercedes-Benz Welcomes EU-US Deal After Profits Plunge On Tariff Woes

Int'l Business Times

time6 hours ago

  • Int'l Business Times

Mercedes-Benz Welcomes EU-US Deal After Profits Plunge On Tariff Woes

A new trade deal struck between the United States and European Union is good news despite fears it is unbalanced, Mercedes-Benz said Wednesday after the German carmaker reported a tariff hit of hundreds of millions of euros in the second quarter. "I have respect for what the EU commission and (trade commissioner) Maros Sefcovic and co have worked up in the past few months", chief executive Ola Kaellenius told reporters on a call. "It will help us rather than damage us". US President Donald Trump and EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen announced a deal Sunday taking the US tariff on imported cars to 15 percent, down from 27.5 percent. "Zero is not a gift to the Americans in this context," Kaellenius said, since German carmakers were "the biggest exporters" into the EU from the United States. About two-thirds of the vehicles which Mercedes-Benz makes at its Tuscaloosa plant in the United States were exported out of the country, Kaellenius said, adding that Mercedes-Benz was looking to ramp up production in places where it made most economic sense. "That is not new, not just because of these tariffs," he said. "It is best not to react hastily but to really think hard about what our footprint should be over the next five to ten years." Reporting second-quarter results, Mercedes-Benz said the tariffs introduced by Trump had cost the firm hundreds of millions of euros. Without tariffs the firm's car business would have achieved a profit margin of 6.6 percent compared to an actual 5.1 percent, Mercedes-Benz said, on overall sales of 24.2 billion euros at the cars division for the quarter. Overall net profit plunged nearly 70 percent to 957 million euros ($1.1 billion), hit by the tariffs as well as weak sales in China, prompting Mercedes-Benz to lower its full-year revenue outlook. The firm now forecasts groupwide revenue to be "significantly below" the 146 billion euros it took in last year. Back in February it expected 2025 revenue to be "slightly below" the 2024 level. Trump in April slapped an additional 25-percent levy on imported cars as part of an aggressive trade policy he says will help boost US manufacturing. That hit European carmakers, with Jeep- and Citroen-owner Stellantis as well as auto giant Volkswagen all reporting slumping North American sales at recent results. Mercedes-Benz's own sales by volume fell 12 percent in the United States over the period. In China they tumbled 19 percent, underlining the challenge the company faces against local competitors such as BYD. Along with other carmakers, Mercedes-Benz then withdrew its guidance in April whilst it digested the impact of Trump's tariff blitz. At its key cars division Mercedes-Benz said that it now forecasts a profit margin of between 4 and 6 percent, including the effects of tariffs. Excluding tariffs it expects a profit margin of between 6 and 8 percent.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store