Wie kann ich ein Arbeitszeugnis anfechten?

It can always happen that a reference does not meet the employee's expectations. For example, information on personal details or the job title may be incorrect, individual tasks, activities or qualifications may have been forgotten or the wording may be incorrect or unfavorable. The reference can then be contested.

In such a case, it is best to first approach the line manager directly and express the respective requests for improvement or personal concerns and objections. As long as the changes are not too drastic, they will usually be accepted and the reference will be corrected and adjusted.
The following procedure can usually be observed: After careful reading, the employee changes the reference, or individual sentences and passages, so that it meets their expectations. If there are any uncertainties, an appropriate specialist can also be consulted. The reference is then submitted to the employer again. The employer can now decide whether and to what extent they wish to comply with the employee's requests for changes. A compromise can also be reached between the concerns of both sides.

If the line manager/supervisor does not want to make any changes and the employee does not agree, the employee can submit a written objection. If this also has no effect, the employee has the right to challenge the reference in a further step and take legal action in court. However, this is always associated with considerable effort and costs, so such a procedure should be avoided if possible.