First steps

Observing the notice period
Your employer informs you he is dismissing you from your job. So what do you do? Firstly, do not forget that your employer has certain obligations to you, specifically with regard to observing the period of notice.
If this notice period is not agreed in writing and there is no collective bargaining agreement in place, the period of notice is governed by the Code of Obligations. This is as follows:

• During the probation period: 7 days (as at the end of any day)
• In the first year of service: 1 month (as at the end of a month)
• From the 2nd to the 9th year of service: 2 months (as at the end of a month)
• From the 10th year of service: 3 months (as at the end of a month)

In addition, there is special protection against dismissal that applies for periods of military service, civilian service or protection service, during illness or following an accident, or during pregnancy. While this protection against dismissal is in force, employees may not be dismissed. If you are unsure whether you are protected from dismissal, notify your employer immediately by recorded mail that you wish to continue working.

Reference
Ask your employer for a reference (or at least a confirmation of employment) covering the period of your employment. Your employer is obliged to issue a favourable and truthful reference. In a sense, your reference (or confirmation) is your passport to your next job, so do not forget to ask for one in good time!

Make good use of your notice period!
Update your application documents and consider what sort of job you would like in future. Perhaps you are interested in pursuing a new career path, but have not dared to do so before? Perhaps the time has come to ask yourself some fundamental questions.