Summertime blues and a question.
May 16th, 2006 by B.
Damned old ‘probezeit’ is going to spoil all our summertime fun. Probezeit is a standard german clause written into work contracts which states that at any time during your first six months of employment the employer has the right to opt out of said contract (with only two weeks notice to you). It’s huge incentive to do well & impress your new boss, that’s for sure. It’s also expressly mentioned that there will be no vacation or personal days taken during this time.
So here we sit… a mere hop, skip & jump away from exotic locales in France, Italy, Austria, Ireland & more… yet Jim won’t be able to take a single day off until September 1st. By then both girls will be back in school, further complicating any travel plans we hope to make.
Now obviously we wouldn’t do anything to rock the boat during Jim’s probation (heh… sounds like he’s fresh out of jail), but I’m bummed about not having a big summery adventure our first year in europe. The upside is that between Sept. 1st and the end of the year he’ll have 25 days to use… and here’s my questions for anyone working in Germany… if he doesn’t use them all by the end of the year, does he lose them? Or do they roll into the next year and continue accruing?
We’ll definitely try to fit as many days in prior to the end of the year as possible, but that’s 5 weeks to use in four months. I can’t imagine any boss being very happy with an employee taking that much time off in such a short period.
It’s funny… the 30 days vacation & 9 holidays played a huge part in luring us here, but for now it’s also making us miserable. Oh well, good things come to those who wait, eh?
On this day..
- Oh. My. God. - 2007
- Wednesday's vitriol. - 2007
- Sometimes I doubt your commitment to sparkle motion. - 2006
I’m sure your husband won’t lose his vacation days if he does not use them this year. In most companies it is okay to take them into the next year (they usually have to be taken until the end of march). But he should ask his colleagues or the HR Department, because it depends on the agreement between the employer and employees (respectively the employers’ association and the union).
Do you know http://www.handbuch-deutschland.de? It might be interesting.
Yeah, he can take some of them next year, but as Sven says, it pays to check and make absolutely sure. Does the international school have the same holidays as regular public schools? Then your kids will have two weeks off in October for the Herbstferien.
Thanks for the info… Jim’s planning to check with HR at some point. He just doesn’t want to go to his boss with questions about time off just yet.
Cool link, Sven. I actually learned quite a bit.
As Christina says your kids should get 2 weeks off in October. All firms I have worked for in Germany have let me take over unused leave into the next year, usually with the clause that it has to be used by end of March, but it varies from company to company. As Sven said it’s best to check with the HR department
Looks like the girls will have Oct. 23-31 off. I was hoping for two weeks, but I guess a week and two days will have to do.
Bummer! Why don’t they get the full two weeks in October? Late October can still be pretty nice.
Claire- I’m guessing the international school doesn’t have as many holidays as public school. I know the easter holiday wasn’t as long either.
From Dresden — that’s just a hop, skip and jump to Prague. You could easily take the girls there for a weekend adventure this summer. And, my goodness, it’s so cheap!
We get to keep extra vacation days until the end of March into the following year. But has he actually asked if he can use any days before the official end of the Probezeit? I’ve always had that in my contract and have never been held to it. Four months into a new job seems a decent time to start checking for flexibility….