Priscilla and Cliodhna, two of our international recruiters have put together a guide to Arbeitnehmerüberlassung for non-German Job- seekers:
As someone who hasn’t grown up in, or has just recently moved to Germany, there’s a high chance that you have never heard the term “Arbeitnehmerüberlassung” before. Or maybe you have, but to you it was just another big, long, scary German word. Like a number of German words, there isn’t exactly a direct translation to English but the most suitable definitions are labour leasing or staff augmentation.
Arbeitnehmerüberlassung or ANÜ is a specific form of employment in Germany, whereby you are employed by one company (the employment agency), who in turn gives you the opportunity to work onsite for other amazing companies. There are over one million employees in Germany today working on ANÜ employment contracts and the fastest growing sectors are in Nash direct’s sweet spot: IT, Engineering & Digital.You are definitely familiar with the most known employment contract between two parties: the jobseeker and the employer. With ANÜ, there’s an extra party in between.
Take us, Nash direct, as an example. We, the employer, have exclusive contracts with big global players in the IT and Engineering industry and are therefore able to make it possible for you to work and gather experience within the company. They say that two is company and three is a crowd but in this case, it’s a recipe for success - an entry card to your dream company whilst working with different people, projects and clients and the cherry on top? A competitive salary.So, as a jobseeker here are some things you need to know about ANÜ:
1. You enjoy the same rights and protections as any employee in Germany
The ANÜ employment model is heavily regulated to ensure that ANÜ employees enjoy the same rights (salary, vacation days, social insurance, pension…) and the same protections (notice periods, probation period, healthcare…) as the rest of the workforce. In fact, depending on the industry and, in many cases, the employment agency you are working for, you can enjoy even better benefits. For example, at Nash direct our ANÜ employees enjoy extended vacation days, relocation financial support, flextime, occasional 35 hour work weeks, as well as bonuses at vacation time and at year end on top of their agreed salary.
2. ANÜ is your entry to Germany’s most preferred employers
We briefly mentioned that ANÜ is a temporary employment. Although the engagement duration at the onsite company is typically limited (in most cases at 18 months although this can be extended under some circumstances to 4 years), many companies engage ANÜ employees with a view to hire them directly at or before the end of their engagement. In fact, at Nash direct over one-third of our employees get taken-over directly by our clients into direct employment.
If you work with an employment agency, like Nash direct, with a large and interesting client portfolio, you can go on to work for some of the Germany’s most amazing and disruptive technology companies. For a lot of people the limited engagement contracts associated with ANÜ are a turn-off , but if you are looking for an exciting new job, are unsatisfied with your current one or just happier keeping your options open and not being tied down to one employer, ANÜ would be a very good option for you.
Triangular agreement
3. You are treated and paid equal to direct employees
Equal treatment and equal pay are legal rights for the ANÜ employee. At the latest after 9 months, the ANÜ employee’s salary must match that of the position of a direct employee at the same onsite company. Furthermore, ANÜ employees working with onsite companies with collective agreements can see their salaries rise over the duration of their engagement.
4. The work permit process is not as daunting as it seems…if you have the right support!
For many jobseekers in IT & Engineering, who come from outside of the EU, the most common work permit entry is the Blue Card. The Blue Card is an approved EU-wide work permit allowing high-skilled non-EU citizens to work and live in Germany. Navigating the blue card process may feel initially like a minefield but at Nash direct, we support each and every candidate every step of the way. We have a qualified HR & Legal Team as well as expert account managers who have a deep understanding of the legislative requirements and connections to the relevant authorities. So, no need to worry about visas: we’ve got you covered!
5. When you work for Nash direct, we are also working for you.
When you have an ANÜ contract with Nash direct, you are not treated like an external worker just because you’re not physically working alongside us – we are your employer and offer you all the support you need, a sense of inclusion within the team, close relationships with both recruiters and account managers, and educational trainings. We help you understand the contracts, sort out work permits, with onboarding and relocation right through to onsite support.
“When I first got offered a job to work in the ANÜ Department at Nash direct, I thought it would take an eternity to get the hang of all the rules and regulations of ANÜ but in actual fact, it’s a very simple concept. I’m responsible for finding candidates for ANÜ positions at one of our biggest clients so I need to be confident in my knowledge of this form of work. I agree with Priscilla and genuinely think that Arbeitnehmerüberlassung can be a great “foot in the door” for a lot of people. Of course it is a risk, but so is every new job. It’s a great chance that pays off!”
Cliodhna Reynolds“When I received a call to work with “Arbeitnehmerüberlassung” I said yes, of course. Then I googled to make sure I understood correctly and I had no problem to work with job leasing. First, because I was actively looking for jobs, and second because it was a great chance to get to know a big automotive company in Germany from the inside. I was leased for 6months on a project for them, and now I’m directly working at Nash direct, an amazing opportunity.”
Priscilla AuersvaldtAlthough Priscilla originally comes from Brazil and Cliodhna from Ireland, they have both become experts in ANÜ in a very short space of time. They have even got the pronunciation down to a T, which honestly, was probably the most difficult part of the whole process in the beginning!
Thanks to Cliodhna Reynolds and Priscilla Auersvaldt!