A formal warning —sometimes referred to as an adhortatory letter—is a written or verbal reprimand issued by an employer to an employee for a breach of contractual obligations. It serves both as documentation of misconduct and as a warning to encourage compliance with agreed duties.
In a formal warning, the employer outlines the unlawful or inappropriate behavior, explicitly demands that the employee correct their conduct, and warns of potential employment-related consequences (such as reassignment or termination). In some cases, issuing a formal warning is a legal prerequisite for a valid dismissal under German labor law.
An employee has the right to contest the warning—for example, by submitting a written rebuttal or counterstatement (Gegendarstellung).
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