Flagship course
Council Foundations
A structured path through works council duties, election timing, and employee representation habits for people advising or serving inside German workplaces.
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Instructor
Dr. Anja Feldmann facilitates Council Foundations. She has coached Betriebsrat onboarding cohorts across Niedersachsen and North Rhine-Westphalia, and previously supported employment consultations for mid-size manufacturers. Her sessions favor annotated samples over slide decks.
Informational pricing
Included in Council Studio (€640) or as the core of Desk Brief orientation. Representation Lab teams receive a private version. No payment is processed on this website.
Modules
1. Consultation map of Germany
Where works councils sit relative to unions, HR, and external advisors — and how employment consultations typically start.
2. Election calendars & blackout sense
Practical sequencing for nominations, ballots, and communication that does not collide with quiet periods.
3. Information rights in motion
Drafting requests, tracking responses, and knowing when silence is a signal versus a delay.
4. Hearing notes & minute craft
Templates for consultations that later readers can reconstruct without the original room tone.
5. Limits, escalation, and allies
Honest boundaries: what representation can influence, when counsel is required, and how to brief them cleanly.
Learning outcomes
- Produce an information-request log suited to a German mid-size employer
- Facilitate a short consultation agenda with timed speaking slots
- Explain three common co-determination touchpoints in plain English
- Spot overreach language before it reaches a workforce email
FAQ
Is this legal advice?
No. Council Foundations is educational. Contested disputes, dismissals, and litigation strategy belong with qualified counsel licensed in Germany.
How much time should I reserve?
Most learners finish the guided path in about 11–13 hours across three weeks, plus time for two written artifacts.
What is a real limitation of the course?
We do not certify you as a works council member or advisor. Completion shows preparation skill, not statutory standing. Also, sector-specific collective agreements are sampled, not exhaustively catalogued — heavy tariff work still needs specialist support.
Module four’s minute template cut our rewrite loops. I still wish the logistics examples arrived earlier in the week.
★★★★☆Used the election calendar worksheet with two client sites. Clear, a bit dense on first listen.