Sozialauswahl
In English: Social selection
In a layoff the company cannot pick freely. Among comparable employees it must protect those who score higher on four criteria: years of service, age, maintenance obligations, severe disability.
Watch out: A wrong selection makes the dismissal invalid.
Legal basis
KSchG §1(3). Checked against the statute text on 12 November 2026.
Related terms
Open the simulator See Sozialauswahl in action: work through a layoff case where it decides the outcome.
This page explains German employment law in general terms. It is not legal advice for your situation. If a layoff affects you, talk to an employment lawyer, your union or your Betriebsrat.