Short Answer
Your employer can dismiss you with exactly two weeks' notice at any point during your six-month trial period.
They do not need to provide a single legal or performance-related reason for this termination.
What Most Expats Don't Realize
You thought your position was secure because your monthly feedback meetings were positive and productive. On a Friday afternoon, HR handed you a termination letter effective in 14 days without giving any explanation. You were forced to scramble for a new job immediately to avoid losing your residence permit, suffering a complete loss of income for two months.
What To Do
- Bring the termination letter home immediately without signing any acknowledgment of receipt on the spot.
- Book an appointment with a labor lawyer (Fachanwalt für Arbeitsrecht) within 48 hours of receiving the notice.
- "Ich werde dieses Dokument vor der Unterschrift rechtlich prüfen lassen." (I will have this document legally reviewed before signing.) — say this to HR when they hand you the paperwork.
The Truth
The trial period is a "cultural dating phase." Germans judge you not just on skills, but on how quickly you adapt to their specific communication style and office "quietness."