All our members can take advantage of legal protection in matters of labor and social security law if they encounter problems with their employer. Together with DGB Legal Protection, our experts will represent you out of court—and, if necessary, in court as well.
Legal Protection: When It Applies
Legal advice and legal protection for representation in court are available after at least three months of membership with dues paid in accordance with the bylaws. Our legal protection covers, for example, disputes over apprenticeship compensation or wages, termination, vacation, maternity leave, and written warnings. Legal protection for IG Metall members also applies to social security matters such as unemployment insurance, statutory accident insurance, or the determination of a severe disability.
Common legal issues for apprentices include, for example, terminations during the probationary period, written warnings for being late, or alleged truancy from vocational school. Sometimes there are also disputes over the training certificate. If the employer fails to fulfill their obligation to provide a certificate, you, as a trainee, can sue for a certificate in court and make use of DGB legal protection for this purpose. You can also have incorrect assessments in the certificate corrected in this way.
How to Access Legal Protection
As a general rule, you should have exhausted all other avenues first before taking legal action. In most cases, many disputes can be resolved without lawyers or courts. You should first try to have a calm, objective discussion. The youth and apprentice representatives or the works council can help you with this. If the steps taken at the company level are unsuccessful, you should contact your local IG Metall office for legal protection.
