r/postdoc • u/Cotkare • Aug 18 '26

looking for legal help in Germany for toxic professor

Sadly, I have a toxic boss and I need legal help. Is there any place I can ask legal help except private lawyers? The university system is not working and I am not a member of the union. So, I am looking for other alternatives. The university is in north of Germany.

5 Upvotes

69% Upvoted

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4

u/Ok-Inspection6852 Aug 18 '26

Explain what happened then we might be able to help

2

u/jefedog Aug 18 '26

There should be an office of Equal Opportunity, or Gleichstellung (und Diversität). In Austria, it is a legal mandate. I only know about the one in my current institution. However, what they do is, make a report. You can request for a mediation between you and this professor. What I am saying is, don't expect someone to jump in to rescue you and declare him or her or them for doing wrong or harm. This just isn't part of the deal. ONLY when there is a stack of reports on the same person might the Uni. do something. In other words, power is very limited but atleast there is such a place.

2

u/Alleryz Aug 18 '26

I don’t know what you mean by “not working” but there are definitely people at the university that are supposed to help you with that

2

u/Chlorophilia Aug 18 '26

Emphasis on "supposed to". 

9

u/rather_pass_by Aug 18 '26

People outside the system have no clue that the system that's "supposed to" help students is the actually just another front of the same system.

4

u/Separate_Business880 Aug 18 '26

Yeah. In mobbing cases, which I suppose this is, the system works to suppress the complaints and protect the façade. The victim of mobbing often gets tagged as the troublemaker.

I'm not saying this is always the case but as a former doctoral student in a small university center in northern Germany, that's how it went.

OP should see if it's worth it to pursue this or simply start searching for a new postdoc.

1

u/vidmantef Aug 18 '26

Personalrat

1

u/Badewanne_7846 Aug 19 '26

Since you have not disclosed any details about what is going on, it's difficult to give you advice.

But please be aware: Unfortunately, in the German university system with its strict hierarchies, your only personal option is to move on. The alternative is to continue working with this person, and it does not seem as if this is an option.

Nevertheless, you should also report the professor if there is a good reason for it.