Strictness of employment protection — Individual dismissals in Germany

Germany: Strictness of employment protection — Individual dismissals was 2.6 0-6 scale in 2025. ▬ Flat

Latest (2025)
2.6 0-6 scale
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
8th
of 41 countries
All-time high
2.6 0-6 scale
in 1994
All-time low
2.5 0-6 scale
in 1985
Years of data
41
1985–2025

Strictness of employment protection — Individual dismissals in Germany, 1985–2025

01231985200520251985: 2.5 0-6 scale1986: 2.5 0-6 scale1987: 2.5 0-6 scale1988: 2.5 0-6 scale1989: 2.5 0-6 scale1990: 2.5 0-6 scale1991: 2.5 0-6 scale1992: 2.5 0-6 scale1993: 2.5 0-6 scale1994: 2.6 0-6 scale1995: 2.6 0-6 scale1996: 2.6 0-6 scale1997: 2.6 0-6 scale1998: 2.6 0-6 scale1999: 2.6 0-6 scale2000: 2.6 0-6 scale2001: 2.6 0-6 scale2002: 2.6 0-6 scale2003: 2.6 0-6 scale2004: 2.6 0-6 scale2005: 2.6 0-6 scale2006: 2.6 0-6 scale2007: 2.6 0-6 scale2008: 2.6 0-6 scale2009: 2.6 0-6 scale2010: 2.6 0-6 scale2011: 2.6 0-6 scale2012: 2.6 0-6 scale2013: 2.6 0-6 scale2014: 2.6 0-6 scale2015: 2.6 0-6 scale2016: 2.6 0-6 scale2017: 2.6 0-6 scale2018: 2.6 0-6 scale2019: 2.6 0-6 scale2020: 2.6 0-6 scale2021: 2.6 0-6 scale2022: 2.6 0-6 scale2023: 2.6 0-6 scale2024: 2.6 0-6 scale2025: 2.6 0-6 scale

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in 0-6 scale.

Analysis

The most recent figure for strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals in Germany is 2.6 0-6 scale, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 41 years on record.

That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.

Over the whole period, strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals in Germany peaked at 2.6 0-6 scale in 1994 and was at its lowest, 2.5 0-6 scale, in 1985.

Germany ranks 8th of 41 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

Strictness of employment protection — Individual dismissals in Germany, year by year

Annual values for Strictness of employment protection — Individual dismissals (regular contracts) in Germany, 1985 to 2025.
Year 0-6 scale Change
1985 2.5 0-6 scale
1986 2.5 0-6 scale +0.0%
1987 2.5 0-6 scale +0.0%
1988 2.5 0-6 scale +0.0%
1989 2.5 0-6 scale +0.0%
1990 2.5 0-6 scale +0.0%
1991 2.5 0-6 scale +0.0%
1992 2.5 0-6 scale +0.0%
1993 2.5 0-6 scale +0.0%
1994 2.6 0-6 scale +3.8%
1995 2.6 0-6 scale +0.0%
1996 2.6 0-6 scale +0.0%
1997 2.6 0-6 scale +0.0%
1998 2.6 0-6 scale +0.0%
1999 2.6 0-6 scale +0.0%
2000 2.6 0-6 scale +0.0%
2001 2.6 0-6 scale +0.0%
2002 2.6 0-6 scale +0.0%
2003 2.6 0-6 scale +0.0%
2004 2.6 0-6 scale +0.0%
2005 2.6 0-6 scale +0.0%
2006 2.6 0-6 scale +0.0%
2007 2.6 0-6 scale +0.0%
2008 2.6 0-6 scale +0.0%
2009 2.6 0-6 scale +0.0%
2010 2.6 0-6 scale +0.0%
2011 2.6 0-6 scale +0.0%
2012 2.6 0-6 scale +0.0%
2013 2.6 0-6 scale +0.0%
2014 2.6 0-6 scale +0.0%
2015 2.6 0-6 scale +0.0%
2016 2.6 0-6 scale +0.0%
2017 2.6 0-6 scale +0.0%
2018 2.6 0-6 scale +0.0%
2019 2.6 0-6 scale +0.0%
2020 2.6 0-6 scale +0.0%
2021 2.6 0-6 scale +0.0%
2022 2.6 0-6 scale +0.0%
2023 2.6 0-6 scale +0.0%
2024 2.6 0-6 scale +0.0%
2025 2.6 0-6 scale +0.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 2.5 0-6 scale 2.5 0-6 scale 2.5 0-6 scale 5
1990s 2.56 0-6 scale 2.5 0-6 scale 2.6 0-6 scale 10
2000s 2.6 0-6 scale 2.6 0-6 scale 2.6 0-6 scale 10
2010s 2.6 0-6 scale 2.6 0-6 scale 2.6 0-6 scale 10
2020s 2.6 0-6 scale 2.6 0-6 scale 2.6 0-6 scale 6

Countries ranked near Germany

  1. 5 Portugal 3.14 0-6 scale compare
  2. 5 Slovenia 2.08 0-6 scale compare
  3. 6 Russian Federation 3.06 0-6 scale compare
  4. 6 Lithuania 1.88 0-6 scale compare
  5. 7 Chile 2.67 0-6 scale compare
  6. 7 Estonia 1.81 0-6 scale compare
  7. 9 France 2.56 0-6 scale compare
  8. 10 Italy 2.56 0-6 scale compare
  9. 11 Austria 2.48 0-6 scale compare

See the full ranking of 50 places →

More work & labour data for Germany

All data for Germany →

Frequently asked questions

What is strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals in Germany?
Strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals in Germany was 2.6 0-6 scale in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals recorded in Germany?
The highest recorded value was 2.6 0-6 scale in 1994.
What is the lowest strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals recorded in Germany?
The lowest recorded value was 2.5 0-6 scale in 1985.
How does Germany rank for strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals?
Germany ranks 8th out of 41 countries with data for 2025.
Is strictness of employment protection — individual dismissals rising or falling in Germany?
Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Germany data come from?
The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Strictness of employment protection — Individual dismissals (regular contracts). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Strictness of employment protection — Individual dismissals in Germany. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/strictness-of-employment-protection-individual-dismissals-regular-contracts/germany/

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About this data

Indicator
Strictness of employment protection — Individual dismissals (regular contracts)
Unit
0-6 scale
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
50 places, 1,336 data points, 1985–2025
Last refreshed

The OECD indicators of employment protection are synthetic indicators of the strictness of regulation on dismissals and the use of temporary contracts. For each year, indicators refer to regulation in force on the 1st of January. For more information and full methodology, see OECD Indicators of Employment Protection webpage Last data update: May 2022 OECD statistics contact: ELS.Contact@oecd.org