DACH Employment Contracts
Employment Contracts
That Work in Germany,
Austria & Switzerland.
Legally compliant, locally reviewed, and ready in days. Skip the legal bills and start hiring with confidence.
Trusted by companies hiring in DACH
Why contract compliance in DACH is hard
Legal Complexity
German employment law spans 50+ statutes. One missing clause can invalidate your entire contract.
Financial Risk
Misclassification fines up to EUR 500,000. Documentation errors up to EUR 2,000 per employee.
Time Drain
DIY contracts take 20-40 hours of legal research per country. Your offer letter expires first.
Contract templates built for DACH
Pre-built, legally reviewed templates that cover everything German, Austrian, and Swiss employment law requires.
Locally Compliant
Every clause vetted against current labor law. Nachweisgesetz, BGB, ArbZG, all covered.
Automatically Updated
When laws change, your templates change. No manual tracking required.
In-Language
German contracts in German. Austrian contracts with CBA references. Swiss contracts by canton.
Ready in Days
Skip weeks of legal review. Your employee has a contract in 48 hours.
Contract templates by country
Choose from pre-built templates tailored to each DACH country's requirements.
Germany Contract Templates
Permanent Employment Contract
Unbefristeter Arbeitsvertrag
Full-time indefinite contract with all mandatory Nachweisgesetz clauses.
Fixed-Term Employment Contract
Befristeter Arbeitsvertrag
Time-limited contract with objective justification language (max 2 years without cause).
Part-Time Employment Contract
Teilzeitarbeitsvertrag
Compliant with Part-Time and Fixed-Term Work Act.
Mini-Job Contract
Minijob-Vertrag
For employees earning up to EUR 538/month.
Executive Employment Contract
Geschäftsführer-Vertrag
For managing directors and senior executives.
Remote/Hybrid Work Addendum
Home office terms and equipment provisions.
Want to see a sample contract?
Request PreviewEvery clause, covered
Our templates include all mandatory and recommended clauses for full legal protection.
Core Employment Terms
- Job title and description
- Start date and workplace location
- Working hours (daily/weekly limits)
- Compensation and payment schedule
- Probationary period terms (up to 6 months)
Leave & Benefits
- Annual leave entitlement (20-30 days)
- Sick leave and continued pay (6 weeks in Germany)
- Parental leave references
- Public holiday provisions
- Austria: 13th/14th salary clauses
Termination & Notice
- Notice periods by tenure (4 weeks to 7 months)
- Termination procedures
- Severance calculation references
- Probation period termination (2 weeks)
Compliance & Legal
- GDPR and data protection clauses
- Confidentiality and IP assignment
- Non-compete provisions (with compensation)
- Works council acknowledgment (Germany)
- CBA references (Austria)
Remote Work
- Home office equipment provisions
- Work-from-home expense reimbursement
- Time tracking requirements
- Health and safety compliance
From offer to contract in 3 steps
Share your hire details
Tell us about the role, compensation, and location. We'll recommend the right contract type.
We generate your contract
Our legal team creates a compliant, localized contract within 48 hours.
Employee signs digitally
Your employee receives, reviews, and signs the contract electronically.
Share your hire details
Tell us about the role, compensation, and location. We'll recommend the right contract type.
We generate your contract
Our legal team creates a compliant, localized contract within 48 hours.
Employee signs digitally
Your employee receives, reviews, and signs the contract electronically.
Built for DACH compliance
Germany
- Nachweisgesetz (Documentation Act) compliant
- Notice period calculations (4 weeks to 7 months)
- Works council acknowledgment language
- 2025 Bureaucracy Reduction Act ready (digital contracts for permanent roles)
- AÜG (labor leasing) considerations addressed
Austria
- Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) references
- Mandatory 13th salary (June) and 14th salary (November)
- Abfertigung (severance) system provisions
- ASVG social security integration
Switzerland
- Canton-specific variations supported
- Work permit clauses for non-EU workers
- OR (Code of Obligations) compliance
- BVG pension requirements
Contracts included with EOR service
Employment contract generation is included in our EOR service. No hidden legal fees, no surprise charges.
EOR Service
- Compliant employment contract
- Automatic legal updates
- Digital signing
- Secure document storage
- Amendment support
- Local language versions
Compare: Employment lawyers charge €2,000-5,000 per contract, plus ongoing fees for amendments and updates.
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about DACH employment contracts.
German employment contracts must include: employee and employer details, job description, workplace location, start date, compensation, working hours, annual leave (minimum 20 days), notice periods, and references to applicable collective agreements. The Nachweisgesetz (Documentation Act) requires written documentation of these terms on or before the first day of work.
While German law doesn't mandate a specific language, contracts should be in a language the employee understands. For German courts, German-language contracts are preferred. Our templates are provided in German with English translations available for your internal records.
Statutory notice periods in Germany start at 4 weeks and increase with tenure:
- 1 month (after 2 years tenure)
- 2 months (after 5 years)
- 3 months (after 8 years)
- Up to 7 months (for 20+ years of service)
During probation (up to 6 months), the notice period is 2 weeks.
Austrian employees are legally entitled to two additional monthly salaries: the 13th salary (Urlaubsgeld) paid before summer vacation, typically in June, and the 14th salary (Weihnachtsgeld) paid before Christmas, typically in November. These are mandatory and tax-advantaged for employees.
Yes. While Swiss federal law (Code of Obligations) provides baseline employment rules, cantons can set different minimum wages and regulations. Geneva, for example, has a cantonal minimum wage of CHF 24/hour. Our templates include canton-specific variations.
Virmondo EOR generates compliant employment contracts within 48 hours of receiving hire details. Digital signing is available immediately after, meaning your employee can have a signed contract within 2-3 business days.
Yes. Our templates cover all mandatory clauses but can be customized for:
- Non-compete agreements
- IP assignments
- Bonus structures
- Stock options
- Role-specific duties
- Additional benefits
Customizations are reviewed by our legal team to ensure continued compliance.
Our legal team monitors German, Austrian, and Swiss employment law continuously. When regulations change (like Germany's 2025 Bureaucracy Reduction Act), we update templates automatically. Existing contracts remain valid; new hires receive updated versions.
As of January 2025, Germany's Bureaucracy Reduction Act IV allows electronic transmission of employment contracts for permanent (indefinite) positions. Fixed-term contracts still require wet signatures. Our platform supports both workflows.
In Germany, companies with 5+ employees can form a works council (Betriebsrat) with co-determination rights on certain employment matters. Our contracts include appropriate works council acknowledgment language and can be adapted for companies with existing works council agreements.
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