Exclusion period shorter than three months in an employment contract – valid?
Likely invalid — such a clause does not bind you.
An exclusion or forfeiture deadline shorter than three months unreasonably disadvantages the employee and is void under § 307 (1) BGB (settled BAG case law, BAG 24.09.2019 — 9 AZR 273/18). Employment claims do not lapse in the shorter agreed period but follow the regular three-year statutory limitation under § 195 BGB.
What you can do next
Sie können Ihre Ansprüche innerhalb der regulären Verjährungsfrist von drei Jahren geltend machen — die vertragliche Kurzfrist ist unwirksam.
The law behind it
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General information based on German law and court decisions, checked by lawyers — not legal advice for your individual case.