It is generally the case that illness of an employee is not a reason to terminate their employment. Termination of employment as a result of illness is only allowed in particular circumstances, such as when the employee is off work for a long period of time or for frequent short periods, when repeated absences mean that operations at the company are significantly upset and the employer cannot reasonably be expected to tolerate this, or when the type and severity of the illness mean that the employee is not expected to return to work.

Your situation will also depend on your own employment contract and your state of health. The rules for those working in public service (Beamte), including those still on trial, differ from the rules for other employees. Also, the rules for people with severe disabilities (whose degree of disability - GdB - exceeds 50) differ from the rules for people with no recognized disability.

If you have questions about your personal situation you should ask the employee council /works council (Betriebsrat/Personalrat) or the severe disability representative (Schwerbehindertenvertretung) at your workplace.

Further information about employment protection is provided in a brochure produced by the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs which you can download here.

You can get advice on employment law by calling the citizen phone line of the Federal Ministry for Labor and Social Affairs.

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