Short Answer
Engaging in any secondary employment or freelance work without prior written consent from your primary employer violates your labor contract.
Most German employment agreements grant companies the legal right to prohibit side hustles that impact your performance or scheduling.
What Most Expats Don't Realize
You started driving for a ride-share app on weekends to earn extra cash without notifying your corporate office. Your manager found out through a colleague and issued a formal warning letter (Abmahnung) for breaching your contract and violating the federal Working Hours Act. You lost your weekend income stream immediately and severely damaged your career path at the firm, suffering an overall financial blow from missed promotion opportunities.
What To Do
- Open your primary employment contract and read the section titled "Nebentätigkeit" to check the specific approval rules.
- Draft a formal letter to HR detailing the exact nature, industry, and weekly hours of your planned side hustle.
- "Ich bitte um die Genehmigung für eine geplante Nebentätigkeit." (I request approval for a planned secondary employment.) — send this written request to your employer before signing any second contract.
The Truth
Germans believe your "labor power" belongs to your primary employer during the week. They want to ensure you aren't too tired to perform your main job because of your side hustle.