A warning letter (or Abmahnung in German) is a formal written or verbal reprimand issued by an employer in response to an employee’s breach of contractual obligations. It serves both as a record of misconduct and a clear warning that further violations may lead to employment consequences such as transfer, disciplinary measures, or termination.
In this process, the employer notifies the employee of the misconduct, reminds them of their duty to comply with the employment contract, and explicitly warns that repeated offenses may result in legal action under employment law.
A warning letter therefore has two primary functions:
Documentation: It creates a formal record of the misconduct.
Prevention: It serves as a deterrent by outlining potential consequences.
In many cases, issuing a warning letter is a legal prerequisite before a dismissal can be considered valid in court.
Employees have the right to challenge a warning letter, including submitting a formal counterstatement to be placed in their personnel file.ger
« Back to Glossary Index
