Qualified Employment Reference (Qualifiziertes Arbeitszeugnis)

QUALIFIED EMPLOYMENT REFERENCE (QUALIFIZIERTES ARBEITSZEUGNIS) (Reference typeQualified reference (qualifiziertes Zeugnis) — issued at the end of employmentInterim reference (Zwischenzeugnis) — issued during ongoing employment — § 109 Gewerbeordnung "GewO")

Employer name​ Employer address​

To whom it may concern,

Employee name​ was employed with us as "Position​" from Period start to Period end.

1. LEGAL BASIS 1.1. Under § 109 GewO, an employee may at any time request a reference — a full/qualified reference at the end of employment, or, on request during ongoing employment, an interim reference (Zwischenzeugnis). 1.2. A German reference must be simultaneously TRUTHFUL (wahr) and BENEVOLENT (wohlwollend) — it may not contain anything false, but must be worded to give the employee a fair chance in the job market. It must also be COMPLETE (vollständig): silently omitting an important, negative fact is itself considered misleading.

2. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 2.1. Duties and responsibilities​

3. PERFORMANCE 3.1. Employee name​ performed the assigned tasks Performance ratingalways to our fullest satisfaction (top rating — "stets zur vollsten Zufriedenheit")to our full satisfaction ("stets zur vollen Zufriedenheit" — very good)to our satisfaction ("zur Zufriedenheit" — good/average)on the whole to our satisfaction ("im Großen und Ganzen zu unserer Zufriedenheit" — below average, a coded warning)endeavoured to fulfil the assigned tasks ("bemühte sich" — coded as poor performance). 3.2. ⚠️ German reference culture uses standardised, "coded" phrasing — for example, "bemühte sich" ("endeavoured to") is widely read as a euphemism for poor performance, and dropping from "stets" to a rating without "stets" is itself a signal. Choose the rating that genuinely and fairly reflects the employee's performance; do not default to the top rating if unwarranted, and do not use a lower-tier phrase to disguise a personal conflict.

4. CONDUCT 4.1. Conduct towards superiors, colleagues and customers/guests was Conduct ratingexemplary at all times towards superiors, colleagues and customers/guestswithout reproach towards superiors, colleagues and customers/guestsgood towards superiors, colleagues and customers/guests.

5. REASON FOR LEAVING 5.1. Reason for leavingResignation by the EmployeeTermination by mutual agreement (Aufhebungsvertrag)Termination by the EmployerEnd of fixed-term contractNot applicable (interim reference)

6. CLOSING 6.1. We thank Employee name​ for their service and wish them every success in their future career.

7. FORM 7.1. Since BEG IV (in force since 01.01.2025), an Arbeitszeugnis may be issued electronically ONLY with a qualified electronic signature (qualifizierte elektronische Signatur "QES") AND the employee's consent; paper with a handwritten signature remains the default and the safest form.

Issued on Issue date by Employer name​.

______________ / Signed on behalf of the Employer by​ /