Employment Law

Employment law is rarely just theory — it is about implementation, timing, and communication. We advise employers, global SMEs, start-ups, and corporations pragmatically and internationally, from hiring through to termination, as well as on cross-border employee assignments.

How can employment relationships be structured in a legally compliant and practical way? How can international employee assignments and employment compliance matters be managed efficiently?

How We Support You

• Employment contracts

• Compensation systems

• Global employee assignments

• Restructurings

• Termination of employment and service relationships: from dismissal and settlement through to litigation

  
  

Key Areas of Advice

Employment Contracts

How can employment relationships be structured in a legally compliant and practical way?

Well-drafted contracts reduce the potential for conflict in day-to-day employment matters. We draft and standardise your employment and service contracts — both domestically and internationally.

• Drafting and updating employment and service contracts

• Non-compete clauses, confidentiality clauses, provisions on intellectual property and employee inventions

• Remote work and mobile work arrangements

• Tailored employment contract templates to facilitate your day-to-day HR operations

  
  

Compensation Structure

How can you create a fair and performance-based compensation structure?

Compensation systems must be attractive, transparent, and robustly documented. We support you in their design, rollout, and adjustment.

• Bonus schemes and target agreement systems

• Variable compensation, sales incentives

• Benefits, company cars

• HR policies: Code of Conduct, Whistleblowing Policy, Remote Work and Mobile Work Policy

• Co-determination: coordination with works councils

  
  

Global Employee Assignments

How can you ensure the right contractual structure and allocation of roles between group, subsidiary, and employees in secondment scenarios?

International assignments rarely fail بسبب willingness — they fail because of the details: contractual structure, social security, reporting obligations, and compliance. We manage your global mobility matters efficiently, in coordination with HR, Legal, and Business.

• Secondment agreements, assignment terms, allowances, expense rules

• Social security advice and coordination with tax advisors and payroll providers

• Remote work from abroad (“work from anywhere”) — risk assessment and policy setup

• Interfaces with tax law and immigration

  
  

Restructurings

How do you develop a robust roadmap for restructurings that works legally, operationally, and communicatively?

When organisations change, they need a clear plan: legally sound, operationally workable, and strong in negotiations. We support your restructuring projects from concept through to implementation.

• Reorganisations: roles, functions, location issues, process changes

• Works council: strategy, tactics, timeline

• Reconciliation of interests and social plan: negotiation and implementation

• HR measures: transfers, change dismissals, voluntary programmes

• Risk minimisation through clear documentation and communication lines

  
  

Termination of Employment and Service Relationships

How do you manage separation scenarios strategically so that costs, timing, and reputational risks remain under control?

Separations are sensitive — legally, economically, and reputationally. We support you strategically and with an efficient process approach.

• Separation of managing directors, executives, and senior employees

• Termination and settlement agreements

• Preparation and support in connection with dismissals

• Unfair dismissal proceedings, interim relief, settlement negotiations

  
  

Internal Investigations, Compliance and Data Protection

How do you coordinate employment law measures with data protection requirements?

In investigations, employment law, compliance, and data protection are closely intertwined. We help you structure and implement your processes properly.

• Setup of internal investigations: roles, process, documentation standards

• Employee interviews, employment law measures

• Data protection interface: review of IT data, access, proportionality

• Prevention: policy rollout, training concepts, HR compliance framework

  
  

Contact

Ulrich Baumann - Partner
+49 89 23 23 73 6-16
ulrich.baumann@oikon.law

Sandra Desche - Senior Associate
+49 89 23 23 73 6-19
sandra.desche@oikon.law