A January 15, 2026 judgment from Stuttgart Labor Court says a multi-year prison sentence can justify ending an employment relationship in Germany.
The ruling focuses on when dismissal is lawful if an employee must start serving time, and on whether possible early release or day-release work changes that assessment.
Stuttgart judges also highlighted an employer’s duty to cooperate before terminating, making the decision a guide to both the limits and obligations tied to imprisonment-related dismissals.
The case underscores that lengthy incarceration can have major consequences for ongoing employment while leaving room for fact-specific review of release prospects and work arrangements.