Notice received during probation: a calm document checklist

Receiving notice can make every email feel relevant. Start with a narrow set of records and protect the originals.

Preserve first, interpret second

Keep the signed notice letter and envelope. Record the date, time and method of receipt while the circumstances are fresh. Save the complete employment contract, later amendments and any collective-agreement reference. Make copies for annotation rather than writing on originals.

Gather recent payslips, holiday records, formal feedback, the job description and correspondence directly connected to the stated process. Do not forward confidential employer material that you were not entitled to retain.

Create a one-page chronology

List the employment start, contractual probation end, feedback dates, absences, receipt of notice and stated end date. A chronology helps a lawyer identify what requires attention without searching an unsorted inbox.

Make the right calls promptly

If you may challenge dismissal, seek qualified German employment-law advice without delay. Court deadlines can be short—often discussed as three weeks from receipt—and a general consultation is not a substitute for case-specific representation. A trade union, legal-expenses insurer or local bar directory may help locate counsel.

Ask separately about final salary, unused holiday, release from duties, return of equipment, employment certificate and Arbeitszeugnis. The answer to each can depend on the contract and facts. Do not sign a settlement or waiver merely to acknowledge receipt.

This checklist organises a first response; it does not determine whether notice is valid.