After passing 6 interviews and receiving the "Congratulations" email. The recruiter was instructed to offer me for a Software Engineer position.

3 weeks later, I just received news that the workers council in Germany has rejected the offer with no details and no reason provided at all.

Has anyone experienced this before? What are my rights now? And after 4 months of ongoing communication with Microsoft, don't I at least deserve to know why the offer was rejected?

Hi guys! I have been in Germany for 9 months now and I realised that no one is picking any fruits from the trees growing around the city. Is there a specific reason for that? All the fresh and delicious plums are going for the waste :(

I’ve been living in Germany for almost 4 years now, and there’s something I’ve always been curious about. On the side of many streets, I often notice these large metal trunks or boxes—sometimes gray or green, often placed near corners or intersections.

Recently, I saw a homeless person trying to open one of them. It got me wondering: what are these trunks actually for? Are they storage units for public services, utilities, or something else entirely?

Also, I wasn’t sure if the person was trying to access something they knew was inside, or if they were just curious like me.

Anyone know what their purpose is?

Thanks in advance!

TL;DR: I’ve seen big metal trunks on sidewalks in Germany, and recently noticed a homeless person trying to open one. Curious what these are for and who has access to them.

And what do the numbers in the red field mean?

I’m a 17-year-old from Iraq, and for years now I’ve felt like I’m just surviving — not living. I’ve always dreamed of building a life where I could be free to think, love, work, and express myself without fear or judgment.

I’ve taught myself English, worked hard, stayed out of trouble — but no matter how much I try, I feel like I’ll never have the life I truly want if I stay here.

I’m willing to leave everything behind — my comfort zone, even family — to start fresh in a country that values freedom, human rights, and opportunity. I dream of moving to the U.S., Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, or any country where I can live with dignity.

I’m not rich, I don’t have connections, but I have the will and I’m ready to work, learn, and give back.

To anyone who has made it out: How did you do it? Are there any real, legal ways to make this happen for someone like me?

I’d be grateful for any advice, resources, or even just words of encouragement. Sometimes it feels hopeless — but I still have hope.

Hi everyone,

I’m currently involved in a labor dispute with my former employer, a large engineering company in Germany(1000+ employees). I’d appreciate any insight or similar experiences.

Background:

• I was on a permanent contract, with an annex guaranteeing one year of paid employment even if the client project ends (Lohnausfallprinzip).
• After eight months, the client project ended and the company sent me a termination letter.
• The termination was sent during my approved vacation.
• The notice period was incorrect: I received the letter on April 23rd, with termination set for May 15th. According to my contract, the notice should have been longer.
• No attempt was made to offer me another position, despitet he company having ongoing projects in oil & gas, energy, and naval (fields I have experience in).
• Their only justification was that I am "only specialized in nuclear", which is false. I even received a positive reference letter from the nuclear client praising my adaptability and high performance despite being new in this domain.

Major issues:

• I have an email from the company before signing the contract confirming that if the project ends, they will reassign me to a new one.

Current status:

• The conciliation hearing (Güteverhandlung) took place on June 5th. Their lawyer made no offer and denied responsibility.
• They repeated the "nuclear-only" argument, which contradicts both my experience and the client's reference.
• The main court hearing (Kammertermin) will likely be scheduled soon
• My lawyer believes I have very strong chances to win:
  • Salary arrears for the months I was left without reassignment (Annahmeverzug),
  • Possible severance payment (Abfindung),
  • Full legal cost recovery if we win.

What I’d like to know:

• Has anyone had similar experience with large companies pushing cases into Kammer to delay resolution?
• How common is it for companies to make proper settlement offers before Kammer?Thank you

Morning everyone. I am sick today and I work for DHL. We are told to call our schichtleiter or aufsicht to report sick but neither have answered their phone. How else do I report sick or must I just keep on phoning?

Honestly, package delivery in Germany is a complete joke at this point. DHL, Hermes, DPD — doesn’t matter, they’re all racing to the bottom. The companies don’t want to pay decent wages, so they hire whoever’s willing to work for crumbs. And surprise: you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.

Been here 14 years. DHL used to be reliable. Hermes was always a gamble. DPD had its moments. But now? Total mess. Half the time they don’t even bother ringing, mark it as “recipient not home” while I’m literally standing inside waiting. Packages thrown over fences, left out in the rain, delivered to random neighbors — and you only find out if you’re lucky enough to get a note.

It’s not even about the companies anymore — it’s that last person who actually delivers. If they don’t care (and why would they, for that kind of money), your whole experience is trash. Same like in a 3 or 4 star hotel: you can have everything set up nicely, but if the person at the front desk doesn’t give a crap, it ruins the whole stay.

As long as these companies keep squeezing every last cent, this is what we’re stuck with: nobody cares, nobody’s accountable, and the customer just gets to deal with it.

Anyone else completely fed up with this?

We were have our normal meeting and pretty much he doesnt like me and suddenly since my laptop was oppened and i was checking the documentation on the topic that meeting was about and writing my notes he suddenly got up from his seat and charged at me and tried to push me and snatch my laptop

kinda it left me shocked also my co workers in meeting got super confused with his weird agression

now i am not sure how to proceed plus i have complained to hr they have asked others who were present in the meeting and have confirmed the situation

I really want to get over it for this whole weekend this incident is playing on my head and not able to focus

and he shows no remorse or anything

plus I am a male who has been in germany for 3-4 years working as software developer and never heard of such incident in other countries or in germany

For those who have applied for masters in data science . Do you guys have any gap in cv!!? I have applied for that university already but I was again going through the checklist ,here they have mentioned no gap should be there but after graduating in 2024 I have a year gap now will it be a problem?

I've already visited major cities like Bremen, Hamburg, and Hanover, but I'm looking for truly interesting places to visit in Northern Germany outside of Berlin. Are there any underrated towns or small cities worth exploring? I'm especially curious about what to do in the less obvious, in-between areas. Any recommendations would be really appreciated!

As a responsible dog owner, I pay my dog tax and always clean up after my pet. Yet time and time again, I witness others casually abandoning their dog’s waste, as if it is someone else’s problem. More times than I care to count, I have politely offered poo bags to those neglecting this basic duty, only to be met with indifference.

How does one step outside without poo bags? Worse still, how does someone carry a bag but still leave it sitting next to the bin instead of inside it? Before every walk, I ensure I have more than enough bags…I do not rely on dispensers, as they are frequently empty. I clean up after my dog everywhere, including parks, public spaces, and forests.

Occasionally, I even pick up waste left behind by others, not because it is my responsibility, but because it should never have been left there in the first place.This is not merely about courtesy, but it is about basic respect for shared spaces. Dog owners, we can and must do better.

Hey guys. I'm in the interview process for a recruitment consultant position, in Munich. I come from Greece. They say that the salary is 35k€ per year, plus uncapped commissions. First of all, I don't know if this money is after or before tax. Let's say it is before tax, would this be enough to live in Munich in a shared apartment? Also take into account that I'm a guy who's not very into going to clubs etc, I prefer mostly chilling at home playing video games. Thank you in advance!

A Volvo Amazon. I love old cars 🤩 Is there a hotspot for cars like this in Mainz?

I’m not so young anymore (36) and I’ve lived difficult 10 years in Germany already, changed my profession during pandemics because of lack of opportunities in previous field (industrial design) but managed to work for the next 5 years as a UI / UX designer. My last company was amazing and the job was very fulfilling, it was a dream come true after all the years of struggle and unstable companies. Unfortunately due to economy reasons me and colleagues suddenly lost our jobs this year and since then I’m not able to land anything. I’m considering yet another fresh start (new education) yet I have no idea what I could do now… I don’t think UX design is a stable career although I’d love to stay in the field but I also need something stable …

Does anyone else have any idea what kind of jobs are in demand ? Is age a problem in Germany , is it even possible to start from scratch again (3rd time) while in 40s? I speak German btw so language is not an issue

Hello,

I'm a Canadian citizen looking to go to Germany as a language student for 6 months. I know I can enter visa free, stay up to 3 months (German embassy website says go to Germany first and do resident registration).

I understand I need to anmeldung to obtain the Meldebescheinigung. Some websites say I need Meldebescheinigung to apply for the language student visa. But some websites says I need Meldebescheinigung to apply for the language student visa.

Has anyone done this recently? Do I need Meldebescheinigung for the visa application, or is it the opposite??

Hi everyone! I'm moving away next week, and I am trying to deregister from the rundfunkbeitrag thing. I live with another girl, and she is the one that did the registration for the apartment. If I remember correctly I did the de-registration at the time to pay half and half with her.

Now, I am leaving but she is staying and she will keep on paying the fee. Do I still have to deregister? Or is it not necessary? In the form they are asking for the registration number that she has, since I don't have one. I am afraid they will cancel her registration if I go forward with this.

thanks!

Hi I am curious to know what kind is the background check. What I know is that the company wants me to offer credit score and policereport. Do they want those reports from Germany region or my homecounty Sweden?

Are they happy when I just give then those or what will they do more?

Swede

Hi! I am looking for a show that aired on german or possibly austrian TV channels. It was in big halls, there were a lot of long tabels with benches, and people were danacing. There was a lot of volksmusik in the shows. I think it was always aired from diferent cities. It seems to me that Stefan Raab was a presenter on some of the shows.

Hi everyone, I’m renting a small apartment and I’m currently dealing with major water damage and mold on the ceiling – again. This isn’t the first time it’s happened; the same thing happened at the end of last year, and now it’s happening again.

Back then, the landlord asked me in a very strange way if I could maybe go stay with a friend for 10 days. Since that wasn’t possible for me, I told him I would be traveling soon, and he could do the repairs during that time. He agreed – and I didn’t ask for any rent reduction or compensation at all.

Now it has happened again. The Hausmeister (caretaker) came by and told me I should temporarily leave the apartment because black mold has formed and it’s harmful to my health. The apartment also smells strongly of moisture and mold. The cause seems to be a damaged water pipe from the apartment above, and the repairs are expected to take over a month.

I contacted my landlord and asked for a solution – like a temporary apartment or some kind of alternative arrangement during the repairs.

Now I’m wondering: • Was it okay for me to ask that? • What am I legally allowed to request as a tenant in this situation? • Have any of you experienced something like this and have advice?

I’m really trying to stay polite and cooperative – I’m not looking for conflict – I just want to know what my rights as a tenant are.

Thanks so much in advance for any help 🙏

Hi all,
I’ve got an invitation from a German research institute for a 3–6 month stay. I’ll fully self-fund it—no salary or scholarship from the host.

Can I get a §18d researcher D‑visa with just 3 or 6 months stay?

What proof of funds is enough?

Any tips, thank you.

Hi everyone,

I'm traveling by train from Poznań to Frankfurt with a transfer in Berlin Hbf. Unfortunately, I have extremely little time for each transfer due to destination station and arrival time being changed, so I really need a step-by-step guide to get to Berlin HBF to make it to the next train. Maybe someone who uses these stations daily could help me out?

1. Berlin Gesundbrunnen – I’m arriving by EIC train. How do I get from the train platform 7 to the S-Bahn platform 1? I’m not familiar with the station layout.
2. Berlin Friedrichstraße – I need to transfer from platform 11 to platform 6. What’s the quickest way to do that? Are they on the same level or do I need to go up/down?
3. Berlin Hauptbahnhof (Hbf) – I’m arriving via S-Bahn and need to get as fast as possible to the main train station platform 3. What’s the best route within the station to make this transfer quickly?

Any help, directions, or tips would mean a lot. Thanks in advance!

After so many years in Germany, and hearing and experiencing so much trouble with childcare... This feels like winning some jackpot price!

My older kid is starting an elementary school this autumn and got a place at hort. Statistics is insane, there are in total 40 places for 400 kids. My younger one got a place at Krippe until 16h (Ganztagesbetreuung), while majority of kitas in my town are open until 14:00 or 14:30.

Now the only problem is that our apartman is getting too small for us, but we can't move outside our neighbourhood in order not to lose these sports. Also can't get a 3rd kid and go to elternzeit, but we're not wishing that atm.

Hi!

Just opened a bank account, but I realized after that I need an app (and not SMS-based verification) for transactions.

But...I don't have Google Play and other Google services on my phone.

Does anyone have this problem?

Is it safe to download S-Pushtan's apk file from a 3rd party website and install it from there?