INTERNATIONAL ZALANDO EMPLOYEE GUIDE Working and Living in the Capital of Germany CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER ONE
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INTERNATIONAL ZALANDO EMPLOYEE GUIDE Working and living in the capital of Germany CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER ONE GET GOING IN GERMANY WORKING IN GERMANY INSURANCE 0 8 BEFORE COMING TO GERMANY 18 SOCIAL SECURITY 0 9 WHO DOES NOT NEED A VISA? 18 LIABILITY INSURANCE 0 9 WORK PERMITS 19 MOTOR VEHICLE INSURANCE 10 FOREIGNERS’ OFFICE (AUSLÄNDERBEHÖRDE) 19 HOUSEHOLD INSURANCE 20 ACCIDENT INSURANCE 20 RETIREMENT BENEFITS GUIDELINES FOR A SUCCESSFUL START 20 HOW TO PURCHASE AN INSURANCE POLICY 20 THE MOST IMPORTANT INSURANCE TERMS 11 REGISTER AT THE BÜRGERAMT 12 APPLICATION FOR A ‘LOHNSTEUER-ID’ (TAX ID) 12 OPENING YOUR BANK ACCOUNT RELOCATION EXPENSES 12 REGISTER FOR HEALTH INSURANCE 23 DEDUCTIBLE RELOCATION EXPENSES 24 NEED HELP? HEALTH —MEDICAL CARE IN GERMANY 13 HEALTH INSURANCE FINDING AN APARTMENT 14 PUBLIC HEALTH INSURANCE 14 PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE 26 SEARCH VIA INTERNET 15 WHAT IS A HEALTH INSURANCE CARD? 26 HOUSING OFFICES 15 VISITING YOUR PHYSICIAN 26 FURNISHED ROOMS AND APARTMENTS 15 WHAT IF YOU NEED A PHYSICIAN AFTER HOURS? 27 LITTLE HELPERS 16 THE COST OF AN OFFICE VISIT 16 MEDICATION 16 IF YOU ARE ADMITTED TO HOSPITAL RENTAL CONTRACTS & RENT 16 WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF EMERGENCY? 17 VACCINATIONS AND PREVENTATIVE CARE 29 LENGTH OF RENTAL CONTRACT 17 DENTISTS 29 PARTIES TO THE RENTAL CONTRACT 17 MEDICAL CARE IN BERLIN 29 RENT 30 MORE DETAILS CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER TWO GET GOING IN GERMANY BERLIN – A PLACE TO BE BERLIN BLOGS 35 ABOUT BERLIN 53 OTHER SIDES OF BERLIN 37 LIVING IN BERLIN’S DISTRICTS – ‘KIEZE’ 38 MITTE 38 FRIEDRICHSHAIN-KREUZBERG THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GERMANS 39 PRENZLAUER BERG AND PANKOW 40 NEUKÖLLN 54 ST. PETER AND THE ‘WETTERFROSCH’ 41 TEMPELHOF-SCHÖNEBERG 55 ‘TATORT’ 41 CHARLOTTENBURG-WILMERSDORF 55 ‘SCHORLE’, ‘RADLER’ AND 7 YEARS OF BAD SEX 55 OZAPFT IS – ‘OKTOBERFEST’ 55 BEER TRANSPORTATION IN THE CITY 56 WE ARE HUNGRY 56 FOR THE LADIES – DON’T BRING A MILLION PAIRS OF HIGH HEELS 43 PUBLIC TRANSPORT 57 BRUTAL HONESTY – NICE SOMETIMES 43 RIDING YOUR BICYCLE 57 PARTY IS FOR ALL AGES 57 MORE FUNNY STUFF ON GERMANS GOING OUT SHOPPING EATING WHEN YOU WORK AT ZALANDO 45 NIGHTLIFE 45 BARS 58 FUN FACTS ON ZALANDO 46 DANCING 59 ‘HELLO ZALANDO!’ 46 FOOD 59 READ ON: OUR BLOGS 47 COFFEE 59 MORE ON ZALANDO 48 SHOPPING 49 URBAN STYLE 49 WOMEN’S FAVORITES 50 MEN’S BEST 50 DESIGNERS CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER ONE GET GOING IN GERMANY In order to have a smooth start in Germany there’s a few administrative and practical things you’ll need to organize. Find o u t what you’ll have to deal with to get things started here. WORKING IN GERMANY WORKING IN GERMANY WORKING on the need for a visa for your country and laubnis’). The residence permit must state further information on visa requirements specifically that employment is allowed. can be found on the website of the German IN GERMANY Foreign Affairs Office: The following procedure applies in principle www.auswaertiges-amt.de for all types of employment. Before you come to Germany, there is a couple of things you should take care of. Find out what you need to deal with regarding visa and work permit and where you find help Generally, a visa only entitles you to entry In the case of many immigrants, the right for these matters. and residence of 90 days initially. If you are to engage in gainful employment will be planning a longer stay, you must apply for a granted immediately solely on the basis of residence permit shortly after arrival. This the regulations in the Residence Law (‘Aufen- also applies to nationals from Group B. For thaltsgesetz‘) when the residence permit is EU dependents, a ‘freedom of movement’ issued. In these cases the Federal Employ- permit, instead of the residence permit, can ment Agency is not consulted. be obtained relatively easily. With other immigrants, a residence permit will be issued on the basis of the general WHO DOES NOT NEED A requirements for residence in Germany, VISA? without, however, the right to work being granted automatically at that time. In these Group A: Citizens from the Member States cases the Foreigners’ Office obtains the of the European Union (EU), Switzerland, consent of the Federal Employment Agency Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein do not to grant permission to engage in gainful require a visa. employment. In principle, the Federal Employment Agency only consents if Group B: Nationals from Australia, Israel, there is a vacancy for the immigrant that Japan, Canada, New Zealand, the Repub- cannot be filled by a German, an EU citi- lic of Korea and the USA do not require an zen or other preferred employable per- entry visa. son (non-EU foreigner who has been living in Germany for a fairly long time). BEFORE COMING TO WORK PERMITS EU citizens can enter Germany for job- GERMANY seeking purposes. EU citizens and their In order to get a job, an immigrant who family dependents (if also citizens of an EU In many cases, a visa is needed for enter- for the application process. Visas for fam- is not a citizen of the EU needs either a member state) will be issued a certificate ing Germany. You can obtain this from the ily members travelling with you should be residence permit (‘Aufenthaltserlaubnis’) of their right to reside in Germany. EU German embassy in your own country, but applied for at the same time. The addresses of which entitles him or her to have a job or a citizens qualify for holding a job and do not allow approximately two to three months the relevant German Consulates with details settlement permit (‘Niederlassungser- need special approval from the Federal 9 08 WORKING IN GERMANY WORKING IN GERMANY Employment Agency. There are restrictions GUIDELINES FOR A in regard to EU citizens from Central and Eastern Europe. SUCCESSFUL START What needs to be done after you arrive in Germany? FOREIGNERS’ OFFICE The following information will help you to ensure (AUSLÄNDERBEHÖRDE) that everything will go smoothly during your first days i n G e r m a n y. Department IV – Foreigners’ Office, -Im migration Unit – of the State Office for Public Affairs is responsible for all ques- tions which pertain to the rights of you, a foreigner, to reside in Germany. The address is: Landesamt für Bürger- und Ordnungsangelegenheiten Ausländerbehörde // Referat Zuwanderung Friedrich- Krause- Ufer 24 13353 Berlin Visiting Hours: Monday 7 a.m. – 2 p.m. Tuesday 7 a.m. – 2 p.m. Thursday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Telephone Hours: Wednesday 9 a.m. – 12 noon Friday 9 a.m. – 12 noon Service telephone for general information: REGISTER AT THE 90269- 4000 BÜRGERAMT To avoid long waits when visiting, please You must register with the Residents’ Reg- tered. This must be done in person. Please make an appointment during telephone istration Office (Bürgeramt) within one note that which Bürgeramt is responsible hours. week of your arrival in Germany, so that for you depends on in which district of Ber- your new place of residence can be regis- lin you are living. If you bring your rental 11 10 GUIDELINES FOR A SUCCESSFUL START HEALTH – MEDICAL CARE IN GERMANY agreement and your passport you will get Bürgeramt. For students there sometimes HEALTH — a proof of registration immediately. Find are special conditions. out where the Bürgeramt of your district is located on the city of Berlin’s official website: MEDICAL CARE www.berlin.de/en REGISTER FOR HEALTH INSURANCE IN GERMANY Health insurance is mandatory for all employees in Germany APPLICATION FOR You can choose your own German health and you won’t be able to start working without it. A ‘LOHNSTEUER-ID’ insurance and register online easily. You can Here’s where you’ll find more information about what is (TAX ID) choose whatever insurance you like. Your covered by your health insurance and some basic membership certificate (this document con- info on physicians and medical treatment in Germany. Register at the Finanzamt (revenue office) in firms your membership in a health insurance order to receive your income tax. Please note company to your employer) will be sent to that which Finanzamt is responsible for you you via post. The HR department will need depends on in which district of Berlin you this document. Once you are a member with are living. Within 7 days the Finanzamt will a German health insurance provider (when receive the information about your registra- you get a letter with your membership num- tion from Bürgeramt. For the application ber), you will need to contact them and ask you will need your Anmeldung (registration for your social security number. Within 4-6 form) from the Bürgeramt and your passport. weeks you will receive it by mail. HR just needs this number and later a copy of the Find out where the Finanzamt of your dis- registration document. trict is located on the city of Berlin’s official website: www.berlin.de/en ATTENTION: The deadline for payroll Important: Without your tax ID, HR won’t is the 11th of every month. If you hand in be able to pay your salary. all documents by this date, we are able to pay your salary at the end of that month. If documents are submitted after the 11th of the OPENING YOUR BANK month we will not be able to process your pay ACCOUNT by the end of the month. The salary will then be paid along with your next month’s salary Your salary must be deposited by your at the end of the following month.