Cengolio · Tools

The rules, side by side

Each tool states what English and German statute say for the same input, with the section numbers. What the rules mean for a particular case is a different question, and not one a calculator answers.

Statutory notice periods Years of service in, both minimum notice periods out. Germany counts in months to a month-end, § 622 BGB. England counts in weeks, to the day, s. 86 ERA 1996. The same dismissal can end two and a half months apart. Open the calculator → Late payment interest Amount and days in default in, both statutory claims out. Germany charges nine points over the Basiszinssatz plus a flat €40, § 288 BGB. England charges eight over base rate with a tiered fixed sum. Both reference rates freeze twice a year. Open the calculator → Redundancy pay & severance Age, service and pay in, both figures out. England owes a statutory sum and caps the week at £751, ERA 1996. Germany owes nothing by statute, and the § 1a KSchG offer formula usually pays more anyway. Open the calculator → Holiday entitlement Working week and Bundesland in, both minima out. The English 28 already contains the bank holidays, reg. 13A WTR. The German 20 carries every public holiday on top, § 3 BUrlG, and the smaller number usually wins. Open the calculator → Court fees for a money claim Amount claimed in, both court fees out. Germany takes a 3.0 fee up front on the GKG table and serves the claim once it is paid. England bands the issue fee and caps it at £10,000, and who recovers the lawyers at the end differs more than the fees. Open the calculator → Transferring shares Purchase price in, both transfer costs out. England takes a form and 0.5 per cent stamp duty, nothing below £1,000. Germany sends the GmbH share to the notary, void without the deed, § 15 GmbHG, and the two price lines cross around 120,000. Open the calculator →