Do I have to sign the warning?

No. A signature merely confirms receipt, not the content. You can also acknowledge receipt without signing, or refuse to acknowledge it.

What does a counterstatement achieve?

It is added to your personnel file (§ 83 Abs. 2 BetrVG) and corrects the employer’s account — important in any later unfair dismissal proceedings.

When can I demand removal from the personnel file?

If the warning contains incorrect facts, is disproportionate or has lost its warning function (BAG, established case law).

Consumers · Received a formal warning

Received a formal warning from your employer – check it now

Check whether it is justified, write a counterstatement or demand its removal from your personnel file.

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Quick check: what should you do?

3 short questions — no sign-up required.

Letter received on

Did the letter threaten dismissal?

Have you already received earlier warnings for similar incidents?

Does the letter misrepresent the facts of the incident?

Deadline at a glance

respond promptly

No statutory deadline (BAG)

There is no statutory deadline for a counterstatement (Gegendarstellung), but a prompt response (within 1–2 weeks) is advisable — otherwise your silence may look like an admission of fault. If a dismissal is threatened, the 3-week deadline under § 4 KSchG applies.

It is an AI, not a person: nobody looks at your individual case, and we do not know who signs up or for what reason. That is why we give pointers, but no legal advice on the individual case. Guidelines and playbooks in the platform are only guardrails: the AI relies on the available sources and your information. AI can make mistakes — check important results, and if in doubt, ask a lawyer.

What you can do here in 5 minutes

A formal warning (Abmahnung) under employment law must be specific, serve a warning function and describe the incident accurately. Signing hastily or staying silent is rarely the right response.

Upload the warning — our AI tools check specificity, warning function and proportionality and suggest a counterstatement or a request for removal from your personnel file.

How it works

Results in three steps

Upload the cease-and-desist letter

The employer’s letter as a PDF/photo.

Smart follow-up questions

1–3 targeted questions on your role, the incident and any previous warnings — for a precise analysis.

Risk check & reply

Red flags (specificity, warning function, proportionality) plus a draft counterstatement or removal request.

What you get

Upload the cease-and-desist letter – The employer’s letter as a PDF/photo.
Smart follow-up questions – 1–3 targeted questions on your role, the incident and any previous warnings — for a precise analysis.
Risk check & reply – Red flags (specificity, warning function, proportionality) plus a draft counterstatement or removal request.

What it is not

No representation before the labor court.
No negotiation with the employer on your behalf.
No assessment of possible unfair dismissal actions — a separate review is required.

FAQ

Common questions about this case

Transparency

What the AI checks — and what only a lawyer can decide

An AI is only as good as the question. We show openly where your answer is reliable and where you should speak with a lawyer.

If the warning is combined with a dismissal, if there have been repeated warnings or if they form part of a pattern of workplace bullying, involve a specialist lawyer for employment law (Fachanwalt).

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