Navigating Germany’s Works Council Elections 2026: Legal Updates, Risks and Best Practices for U.S. Companies

The regular German works council elections take place every four years. After the last regular election in 2022, the next election will be held this spring between March and May 2026. The election is very important, particularly for international companies with complex organizational structures. Often, international companies are not familiar with the rights and obligations of the employer in the election and co-determination under German law in general. This webinar is designed for U.S.-based HR and legal teams who need a practical understanding of the German works council election process and recent legal developments.

In this session, we will discuss the election procedure and how you, as an employer, can meaningfully observe the 2026 German works council elections. Our experienced attorneys will cover the following:

Introduction to works council elections 2026: What should employers consider?
Employers must not only bear the costs of the election, but also support the implementation of the election. We'll explain when and where you need to take action.

What rights and obligations do employers have?
We'll take a look at what must be done, what must be provided by the employer and what is prohibited under the law.

What are the options for action?
The conduct of the election is the responsibility of the employees, and the employer must provide neutral support. But does this mean you cannot take a position at all? How should you react to recognizable errors in the election? In which situations does it make sense to go to the labor court and challenge the election results? We'll explain which actions you can take as a neutral election observer and how to choose effectively.

What rules apply in election campaigns?
What is allowed during election campaigns, and what are the limits? We'll shed light on how employers can react when boundaries are crossed.

Is there any recent case law that has an impact on electoral practice?
We'll explore current developments and the impact of recent case law from the German Federal Labor Court, including decisions affecting works council elections in matrix and multinational organizational structures. We'll explain the practical implications of these rulings for the election process.

Time:
9:00 - 10:00 a.m. PT
10:00 - 11:00 a.m. MT
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CT
12:00 - 1:00 p.m. ET
5:00 - 6:00 p.m. GMT
6:00 - 7:00 p.m. CET