Spotlight Employment Law – Freelancers: What do companies need to know?

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With our new English-language Spotlight employment law series, we offer international HR professionals, in-house counsel and business leaders supporting German entities or employees based in Germany a concise introduction to key aspects of German employment law. In free online sessions of approximately 60 minutes, our experts address current employment law topics in a practical, business-focused format. Each session also provides space for exchange, discussion and questions in an interactive setting.

On 1st September 2026, we will continue our English Spotlight series with a session on Freelancers: What do companies need to know?

Join us for a hands on, business oriented “Spotlight Employment Law” session that sheds light on what companies need to know when engaging freelancers in Germany. Freelancers can offer flexibility and specialist expertise – but they also carry legal risks and can trigger significant tax liabilities and back payments of social security contributions if misclassified. German specialist employment lawyers Dr Patrizia Chwalisz and Roman Braun will walk you through the key points you need to know when working with freelancers, from correct classification and contracts to liability and compliance – exploring the fine line between genuine self-employment and hidden employment (so called Scheinselbstständigkeit).

The session will cover in particular

• Contract versus actual deployment: why even well-drafted freelancer agreements cannot cure a de facto employment relationship and its consequences
• Social security and tax consequences of misclassification – including retroactive contributions, interest, penalties and potential criminal law exposure
• How to collaborate with freelancers and external consultants while steering clear of typical indicators that lead to hidden employment in practice
• Structuring assignments in a legally robust way: Scope, deliverables and interfaces that support a genuine freelance arrangement

This Spotlight is designed for international HR professionals and business leaders who engage freelancers in Germany and want a concise guide to avoid misclassification risks, legal do’s and don’ts and compliant ways of working.

Additional information

A certificate in accordance with § 15 FAO will not be issued. This free information event is being held online via Teams by Esche Schümann Commichau. You can find our privacy policy for online conferences here.