Document background
The Employment Proof Certificate (Arbeitszeugnis) is a fundamental document in German employment law, required whenever an employment relationship ends. It serves as an official employment reference and must be provided to all employees upon their departure from a company, regardless of the reason for termination or length of employment. The document is governed by several German laws, including §109 GewO and §630 BGB, which mandate its issuance and regulate its content. This certificate must strike a careful balance between truthfulness and benevolence, using specific German certificate language conventions that are widely understood in the business community. It includes detailed information about the employment period, job responsibilities, performance evaluation, and behavioral assessment, serving as a crucial document for future job applications in the German job market.
