On 7 April 2026, the Council of State (Raad van State) issued its opinion on the legislative proposal implementing the European Directive (EU) 2023/970 on pay transparency for men and women (Pay Transparency Directive). It introduces a package of measures aimed at promoting equal pay for men and women by increasing…

What employers need to know:

Trauma‑informed interviewing shifts workplace investigations from what may be perceived by employees as adversarial questioning to a structured, supportive dialogue that prioritises psychological safety, enhances memory recall, and produces more accurate and reliable accounts. By applying the techniques outlined in this article to interviews as part of workplace investigations, employers…

What employers need to know:

Procedural fairness and trauma‑informed practice are complementary approaches to investigations. By applying the three rules of procedural fairness, investigators create conditions for investigations that are both legally robust and psychologically safe. Employers should ensure investigators understand how trauma‑informed principles reinforce procedural fairness to deliver fair, transparent, and accurate outcomes.

In…

Sichert ein Vorgesetzter einem Arbeitnehmer kurz vor Ende der Probe- und Wartezeit die Übernahme zu und kündigt anschließend im Namen des Arbeitgebers während der Probezeit, kann die Kündigung wegen widersprüchlichen Verhaltens nach § 242 BGB unwirksam sein.

Sachverhalt

Die Parteien streiten über die Wirksamkeit einer Probezeitkündigung. Der Kläger trat am 15.06.2023 in ein Arbeitsverhältnis mit…

If a manager with responsibility for personnel matters, assures an employee near the end of their probation period that they will be retained, but soon terminates employment without valid reason, this inconsistency violates good faith and renders the termination void under Section 242 of the German Civil Code.

Facts of the case

The parties are…

On 25 March, the government published its response to the consultation on mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting, confirming its intention to proceed with a new reporting regime for large employers. Reporting will apply to organisations with 250 or more employees, aligning with the existing gender pay gap framework and avoiding additional regulatory burden…

From 6 April 2026, the Employment Rights Act 2025 (the Act) will place a new duty on employers to create and retain records that are adequate to show they comply with statutory holiday entitlement rules, covering both leave taken and the pay associated with it.

The Act inserts a new regulation 16A into the Working…

Benachteiligt ein Arbeitgeber ein befristet beschäftigtes Betriebsratsmitglied, indem er wegen dessen Betriebsratstätigkeit den Abschluss eines unbefristeten Folgevertrags ablehnt, hat das Betriebsratsmitglied als Schadensersatz einen Anspruch auf Abschluss des Folgevertrags.

Sachverhalt

Der mit dem klagenden Arbeitnehmer Anfang des Jahres 2021 geschlossene und auf ein Jahr befristete Arbeitsvertrag wurde später um ein weiteres Jahr bis zum 14.02.2023…

If an employer refuses to conclude an indefinite follow‑on contract with a fixed term employee because of the employee’s works council activities, the works council member is entitled, where discrimination is found, by way of damages, to the conclusion of the follow‑on contract.

Facts of the case

The fixed-term employment contract entered into with the…