Insights
Notice periods that quietly reshape leverage
Long notice feels flattering until you try to leave. For executives in Germany, notice and garden leave often decide whether a new employer can wait — and whether you can afford to.
Symmetry is not always fairness
Many drafts mirror notice for both parties. That looks balanced on paper. In practice, a company can often place you on garden leave while you remain bound, paid, and unavailable to a competitor. Your next employer experiences the delay; the current one manages risk.
Bonus cycles complicate resignation math
Resigning two weeks before a bonus year-end can forfeit amounts you already worked toward if plan rules treat active employment on the payment date as mandatory. We encourage clients to plot notice end dates against bonus and vesting calendars before sending a letter.
A small negotiation that travels far
Where leverage exists, shortening notice for resignation while keeping employer notice longer can be discussed — especially for Geschäftsführer roles where replacement planning differs from ordinary staff. Not every company accepts it. Knowing whether to ask is part of the assessment.