(1) The employment relationship of a wage-earner or a salary-earner (employee) may be terminated observing a notice period of four weeks with effect for the fifteenth day of a month or with effect for the end of a calendar month.
(2) For notice of termination by the employer, the period of notice is as follows if the employment relationship in the business or the enterprise
1. has lasted for two years: one month with effect for the end of a calendar month,
2. has lasted for five years: two months with effect for the end of a calendar month,
3. has lasted for eight years: three months with effect for the end of a calendar month,
4. has lasted for ten years: four months with effect for the end of a calendar month,
5. has lasted for twelve years: five months with effect for the end of a calendar month,
6. has lasted for fifteen years: six months with effect for the end of a calendar month,
7. has lasted for twenty years: seven months with effect for the end of a calendar month.
(3) During an agreed probationary period, but at the longest for the duration of six months, the employment relationship may be terminated observing a notice period of two weeks.
(4) Provisions in derogation from subsections (1) to (3) may be agreed in collective agreements. Within the scope of applicability of such a collective agreement, the different collective agreement provisions between employers and employees who are not under collective bargaining coverage apply if the application of collective agreements has been agreed between them.
(5) In an individual contract, shorter notice periods than those cited in subsection (1) may be agreed only
1. if an employee is employed to help out on a temporary basis; this does not apply if the employment relationship is extended beyond a period of three months;
2. if the employer as a rule employs not more than 20 employees with the exception of those employed for their own training and the notice period does not fall short of four weeks.
In determining the number of employees employed, part-time employees with regular weekly working hours of not more than 20 hours are counted as 0.5 employees. While those working fewer than 30 weekly working hours are counted as 0.75 employees. The agreement in an individual contract of longer notice periods than those stated in subsections (1) to (3) remains unaffected hereby.
(6) For notice of termination of employment by the employee, no periods of notice may be agreed that are longer than those agreed for notice of termination by the employer.