DE

Employment law in collaboration

Employment law support for advisory teams.

We support law firms without their own employment law team as a specialized complement in ongoing matters and projects. We provide employment law advice embedded in existing teams and in close coordination with the responsible advisors.

We work as part of the team – not as a competitor. We align responsibilities, communication channels, and interfaces clearly.

Cooperation matters require particular care. We work discreetly, meet deadlines, and have a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities. Our advice integrates seamlessly – professionally and organizationally – into the overall matter.

Typical areas include transactions, restructurings, occupational pension schemes, and labor court disputes.

You will find further topics in the individual employment law practice areas.

Employment law advice

Employment law advice and representation before the labor courts

Employment relationships do not always run smoothly – whether during hiring, during the ongoing relationship, or at separation. addworx legal advises companies at all stages of the employment relationship and represents them in labor court proceedings – focused, strategic, and with a clear view of our clients’ commercial interests.

Our services at a glance

We support employers throughout the full life cycle of an employment relationship – from hiring and day-to-day performance to termination.
Our focus is on pragmatic, legally sound solutions – whether to prevent conflicts or to support you in ongoing proceedings before the labor courts.

Typical advisory fields:

  • Drafting and reviewing employment contracts
  • Separation scenarios: termination, written warnings, termination agreements
  • Compensation topics (bonuses, commissions, variable pay components, pay transparency, and non-discriminatory remuneration systems)
  • Court representation and strategic support in disputes
  • Advice on occupational health and safety, time recording requirements, and remote work

Think strategically. Act in a structured way.

Conflicts in employment relationships can often be avoided – if the right course is set early. We analyze the starting point, assess potential risks, and develop an appropriate strategy, from a termination agreement to litigation.
In doing so, we combine legal precision with sound judgment, empathy, and negotiation skill. And if it comes to termination, we prepare the case rigorously – with the aim of enforcing your position and minimizing follow-on risks.

Why addworx legal?

 

  • Decades of experience in representation before the labor courts
  • Empathetic and realistic handling of separation situations
  • Clear structure, transparent recommendations, reliable assessments
  • Fast response, solution-oriented, and strategic advice

Restructuring

Employment law advice with greater planning certainty

Companies facing far-reaching change need experienced and specialized employment law support. addworx legal advises on all employment law issues relating to restructurings, workforce reductions, transfers of business, and insolvency. In restructuring situations, our contacts are often management board members, managing directors, HR directors, commercial directors, or external advisors to the company. With comprehensive expertise, rapid understanding of commercial contexts, and decades of experience, we develop solutions that are legally sound and practical – tailored to your organization.

Our services at a glance

Every restructuring is unique. addworx legal supports your company at all stages – from strategic planning to implementation in court. We quickly analyze the starting point, identify room to maneuver, and develop sustainable employment law concepts – aligned with your commercial objectives.

Typical advisory fields:

  • Advice on workforce reductions, reconciliation of interests, and social plans
  • Structuring and supporting transfers of business
  • Employment law advice in insolvency proceedings
  • Support with asset deals out of insolvency
  • Representation before the labor courts, up to and including the Federal Labor Court
  • Strategic consulting

Act early – better outcomes, greater planning certainty

Early employment law advice is critical to the success of any restructuring. If legal counsel is involved too late, costly mistakes, unnecessary escalation with works councils, or lengthy proceedings before the labor courts may follow. addworx legal helps you set the course early, minimize risks, and achieve your business goals efficiently.

Typical mistakes in restructurings – and how we avoid them

Many companies struggle due to insufficient preparation or unclear communication in the restructuring process. Frequent mistakes include:

  • Lack of alignment with the works council when reducing staff
  • Insufficient documentation of social selection criteria
  • Procedural errors in mass dismissal notifications
  • Failure to observe employment law specificities in transfers of business

addworx legal helps you identify such pitfalls early and avoid them with legal certainty – for a restructuring that holds up not only commercially, but also legally.

Why addworx legal?

 

  • Many years of experience supporting restructurings under employment law
  • Market-recognized expertise in workforce reductions and insolvency-related employment law
  • Tactical negotiation management with works councils and conciliation committees
  • Legally sound support through all procedural stages – up to the Federal Labor Court

Transactional labor law

Avoid employment law risks in transactions and reorganizations

Whether a company sale or purchase, transfer of business, or corporate reorganization – employment law is a key factor for success. addworx legal advises employers on all employment law issues relating to acquisitions, divestments, and reorganizations – precisely, forward-looking, and with many years of experience.

Our services at a glance

We support national and international transactions in all phases – from due diligence and structuring to implementation. A particular focus is the review of employment law risks and the legally sound structuring of transfers of business, including liability risks, information obligations, and communication within the company.

Typical advisory fields:

  • Employment law support for due diligence reviews
  • Advice on transfers of business under Section 613a of the German Civil Code (BGB)
  • Drafting and reviewing employment law clauses in share purchase agreements, e.g., employment law warranties
  • Advice on corporate reorganizations within groups
  • Coordination and negotiation with works councils, conciliation committees, and trade unions
  • Support with communication to the workforce
  • Representation in employment disputes related to transactions or transfers of business

Identify employment law risks – structure transactions

Employment law issues often determine whether a transaction succeeds – or fails. Risks from bogus self-employment or disguised temporary agency work, or from corporate co-determination, can be just as relevant as questions regarding the continued applicability of collective bargaining agreements, generally binding agreements, or works agreements. addworx legal helps assess relevant risks realistically, create clear structures, and develop legally sustainable solutions – with the goal of making transactions possible.

Why addworx legal?

 

  • Many years of experience supporting transactions from an employment law perspective – both on the buy-side and sell-side
  • Practice-oriented risk analysis and mitigation through appropriate deal documentation
  • Close cooperation with other advising firms
  • High sensitivity to political, economic, and communication dynamics

Compliance

Employment law compliance advice with practical relevance

Legal requirements and public expectations regarding employment law due diligence are steadily increasing. addworx legal advises companies on building effective compliance structures, implementing the German Whistleblower Protection Act (HinSchG), and responding to internal reports in a legally sound way – for example, in cases of discrimination, misconduct, or other employment law-related indications. Our advice is practical, robust, and aligned with operational processes.

Our services at a glance

We support companies in implementing legal obligations in the compliance area – with processes and measures that are legally robust and operationally workable. Our goal: meet requirements, avoid risks, and run procedures efficiently.

Typical advisory fields:

  • Implementing and reviewing employment law compliance systems
  • Implementing the German Whistleblower Protection Act (whistleblowing systems)
  • Advice in suspected cases (discrimination, sexual harassment, fraud)
  • Training for managers and HR professionals
  • Drafting internal policies and procedural guidelines
  • Supporting internal investigations and employment law measures

Compliance that truly works

We know that an effective compliance system must fit the company – in substance, structure, and operations. Our advice is designed to connect legal requirements with practical solutions. We help you identify risks, define procedures clearly, and assign responsibilities with legal certainty – without unnecessary formalism or overregulation.

Why addworx legal?

 

  • Many years of experience advising on employment law compliance
  • Comprehensive support from risk analysis to implementation
  • Practice-oriented concepts instead of complex one-size-fits-all programs
  • Clear recommendations that can be implemented in day-to-day operations

Occupational pension schemes

Design occupational pension models with legal certainty

Occupational pension schemes strengthen employee retention – while presenting companies with legal, commercial, and organizational challenges. addworx legal supports employers on all issues relating to pension commitments: from introduction and adjustment to outsourcing. Our advice is clearly structured, legally sound, and aligned with your business objectives.

Our services at a glance

We advise companies at all stages of occupational pensions – both on initial implementation and on further development or realignment of existing arrangements. A particular focus is legally sound risk reduction, for example, in restructurings, transactions, or financial distress.

Typical advisory fields:

  • Introducing occupational pension models
  • Drafting and revising pension plan rules
  • Adjusting ongoing pension benefits in cases of economic distress and within corporate groups
  • Closing occupational pensions for future hires
  • Outsourcing obligations, e.g., to retiree entities or via a Contractual Trust Arrangement (CTA)
  • Advice on insolvency protection and funding
  • Support in acquisitions, especially reducing pension provisions and pension due diligence
  • Litigation in pension disputes

Structure pension commitments strategically

Pension commitments extend far beyond employment law – they affect the balance sheet, liquidity, and corporate flexibility. With long-standing obligations in particular, the question often arises how they can be structured in an economically and legally sustainable way – without losing reliability vis-à-vis the workforce.
One possible approach is to outsource existing commitments away from the operating business. In practice, two models are especially common:

  • Retiree entities assume only the administration of existing pension obligations and relieve the core business.
  • A Contractual Trust Arrangement (CTA) enables funding of these obligations through a legally protected off-balance-sheet trust fund – providing additional insolvency protection.

We advise you on selecting the appropriate structure, funding issues, and legally sound implementation – as well as on internal communication and in the context of restructurings and transactions.

Why addworx legal?

 

  • Many years of experience in occupational pensions and adjacent fields
  • Combination of employment law precision and commercial understanding
  • Advice in complex group and transaction structures
  • Clear focus on commercially sustainable solutions

Social security law

Identify risks, avoid mistakes – advice on social security law

Bogus self-employment, status determinations, and payroll audits are topics many companies underestimate. addworx legal advises employers on all social security law matters – strategically, with legal certainty, and with the necessary understanding of complex contractual relationships.

Our services at a glance

We support companies in assessing social security law implications of contractual relationships with freelancers and external specialists, review existing structures, and assist in status determination and audit proceedings.

Our goal: identify risks early, avoid typical mistakes, and respond in a structured way if issues arise.

Typical advisory fields:

  • Reviewing for bogus self-employment and social security classification
  • Support in status determination proceedings (German Pension Insurance)
  • Assessing contractual structures with regard to mandatory social insurance
  • Support during audits by the pension insurance
  • Assessing potential risks related to disguised temporary agency work
  • Reviewing and documenting prior contractual relationships

Case-by-case analysis instead of standard solutions

In social security law, there are no blanket answers. Legal classification depends on the specific facts – and on how clearly the individual’s role is defined, documented, and implemented in practice. addworx legal helps you develop sustainable and legally robust solutions, assess risks realistically, and, when in doubt, enter status determination proceedings or an audit well prepared.

Why addworx legal?

 

  • Many years of experience with status determinations, audits, and risk assessments
  • Individual review of each matter – no one-size-fits-all templates
  • Early risk analysis for new contractual structures
  • Clear recommendations – even in sensitive situations

Corporate co-determination

Advice on supervisory board requirements and organizational structure

Co-determination in corporate bodies is a central and often underestimated challenge – especially in growing corporate structures, conversions, or cross-border mergers. addworx.legal advises employers on all issues related to corporate co-determination – for example, when a co-determined supervisory board must be established.

Our services at a glance

We support companies in all phases of co-determination matters: in assessing whether the company is subject to co-determination requirements – whether under the One-Third Participation Act from 501 employees or under the Co-Determination Act from 2,001 employees – in planned SE formations and mergers, in status proceedings, and in upcoming supervisory board elections. Our focus is on clear legal analysis, strategic planning, and developing sustainable solutions – even in complex group structures.

Typical advisory fields:

  • Assessing co-determination requirements under the One-Third Participation Act and the Co-Determination Act
  • Advice on the allocation of employees within the group or in joint ventures
  • Strategic support for conversion into a European Company (SE)
  • Assessing co-determination consequences in mergers and cross-border reorganizations
  • Support in status proceedings and litigation
  • Support in preparing and conducting supervisory board elections

Co-determination – legally sound, strategically structured

Whether co-determination requirements apply depends not only on headcount. Corporate structure, attribution within groups, and the design of planned conversions are also decisive. We advise when co-determination duties arise – or are to be avoided, for example, through SE structures. We also represent your interests in status proceedings or threatened lawsuits and support the legally sound design of your corporate governance structure.

Why addworx legal?

  • Specialized expertise in corporate co-determination and SE structuring advice
  • Many years of experience with status proceedings and court representation
  • Strategic support in complex conversion processes
  • Advising at eye level with corporate law firms

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