If you have been subjected to discrimination and wish to know whether and how you can take action, we recommend you seek counselling. You can find an anti-discrimination counselling centre in your area on the website of the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency: go to the counselling centre search.

Note: In Germany, there is a law against discrimination, namely the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG). It prohibits certain types of discrimination in specific areas of life. For instance, the AGG applies in case of sexual discrimination in the workplace, if you do not get a flat on account of your headscarf or if your employment contract will not be made permanent on account of your disability. In case of violation of the AGG, you may be entitled to damages and/or compensation.

Unfortunately, there are also cases of discrimination where the AGG cannot help. For instance, the law does not apply if you were discriminated against by a public body or if you are bullied at work about your weight.

If you want to find out whether your discrimination experience falls under the AGG, you can use the discrimination tool on the website of the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency: go to the discrimination tool (in German).

In the next step, you can for instance receive initial legal counselling concerning the AGG from the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency (in German, English, Arabic and in German sign language) free of charge.