TestZen · Einbürgerungstest · Practice

104. A woman in Germany loses her job. What may not be the reason for this dismissal?

Official German wording

Eine Frau in Deutschland verliert ihre Arbeit. Was darf nicht der Grund für diese Entlassung sein?

  1. Die Frau ist lange krank und arbeitsunfähig.
  2. Die Frau kam oft zu spät zur Arbeit.
  3. Die Frau erledigt private Sachen während der Arbeitszeit.
  4. Die Frau bekommt ein Kind und ihr Chef weiß das.

Answer options

  1. The woman has been ill for a long time and is unable to work.
  2. The woman often arrived late to work.
  3. The woman attends to private matters during working hours.
  4. The woman is pregnant and her employer knows it.

Correct answer

The woman is pregnant and her employer knows it.

Explanation

Dismissal on the ground of pregnancy is unlawful and, under section 17 of the Maternity Protection Act (Mutterschutzgesetz), generally prohibited; protection applies once the employer is informed and continues until four months after childbirth, with rare exceptions requiring approval by the supervisory authority. Constitutionally, this is anchored in Article 3(2) of the Basic Law (gender equality) and Article 6(4) of the Basic Law (special protection of mothers), and reinforced by EU law (Directives 92/85/EEC and 2006/54/EC). By contrast, long-term illness (person-related dismissal) or repeated breaches of duty such as frequent tardiness or attending to private matters during working hours (conduct-related dismissal) may, after prior warning and a proportionality assessment, constitute lawful grounds for termination.

Official sources

The German questions come from the original BAMF catalog for the Einbürgerungstest and Leben in Deutschland. Translations and explanations are study aids; verify legal details in the official sources.