Why is Evonik cutting jobs?

The chemicals group cites persistent weakness in the chemicals sector, high costs and competitive pressure as the reasons. Evonik is also exiting its polyester business (around €150 million in annual revenue); the Witten site, with around 266 employees, is due to close in 2027.

Which Evonik sites are affected?

The cuts affect administration and production at several sites. Publicly named locations include the closure of the Witten site (2027) and reductions in Marl and Shanghai. The main focus of the cuts, around 2,150 jobs, is in Germany.

Evonik termination agreement (Aufhebungsvertrag), should you sign?

Not without a review. A termination agreement ends your employment by mutual consent and can trigger a benefit suspension period (Sperrzeit) for unemployment benefit (§ 159 SGB III). If severance pay is agreed and the statutory notice period isn't observed, your entitlement to unemployment benefit can also be suspended for a time (§ 158 SGB III). We check whether the severance amount, release from work, remaining holiday, bonus and reference letter are properly regulated.

What severance pay is realistic at Evonik?

German law grants no automatic right to severance pay. As a rule of thumb, many use 0.5 to 1.0 gross monthly salaries per year of service, but this is a reference point, not a guarantee. In companies with a works council and a social plan, the figures are often higher. Your actual amount depends on your length of service, salary and negotiating position.

What does this cost you?

The initial consultation comes at no upfront cost. If you instruct us, we work through litigation funding, so there's no upfront cost risk. If successful, we keep a transparently agreed share of the severance payment. Legal representation is handled by our partner law firm, MK Law.

Evonik Severance Pay (Abfindung): Job Cuts, Social Plan & Your Rights

In June 2026, Evonik announced plans to cut around 3,200 jobs worldwide, about 10% of its workforce, including roughly 2,150 in Germany. The cuts are planned for the period from 2027 to 2029. Since 2024, earlier savings and efficiency programmes had already affected a further 2,800 jobs (sources: Handelsblatt, June 2026; WirtschaftsWoche, June 2026).

Reviewed by specialized labor lawyers · Updated: September 2026

Evonik (Evonik Industries AG, Essen) announced in June 2026 that it will cut around 3,200 jobs worldwide, about 10% of its workforce, including roughly 2,150 in Germany (between 2027 and 2029).

On top of that, savings and efficiency programmes running since 2024 have already affected around 2,800 further jobs.

Evonik is exiting its polyester business; the Witten site (around 266 employees) is due to close in 2027.

The company says it wants to avoid operational dismissals wherever possible and is relying on voluntary solutions, severance pay and early retirement.

A social plan (Sozialplan, §§ 111, 112 BetrVG) is a works agreement with direct legal effect, and if necessary it can be enforced through the conciliation committee (§ 112(4) BetrVG).

We review your settlement offer against the option of filing a claim, on a success basis with no upfront cost.

Job cuts at Evonik: current situation

The Essen-based chemicals group Evonik announced in June 2026 that it will cut around 3,200 jobs worldwide, about 10% of its workforce, including around 2,150 in Germany. The cuts are planned for the period from 2027 to 2029 (Handelsblatt; WirtschaftsWoche).

The company cites persistent weakness in the chemicals sector, high costs and competitive pressure as the reasons. Evonik is exiting its polyester business (around €150 million in annual revenue); the Witten site, with around 266 employees, is due to close in 2027. Since 2024, earlier savings and efficiency programmes have already affected around 2,800 further jobs.

Team Abfindung is an independent service provider and has no connection to Evonik Industries AG. We represent solely the interests of affected employees.

The numbers at a glance

Around 3,200 jobs affected worldwide, about 10% of the workforce.
Around 2,150 of these jobs are in Germany.
Timeframe: 2027 to 2029.
The Witten site (around 266 employees) is due to close in 2027; Evonik is exiting the polyester business.
A further around 2,800 jobs affected by earlier programmes since 2024.

As of: June 2026 (sources: Handelsblatt, WirtschaftsWoche). Figures may change as the programme progresses.

Works council (Betriebsrat) & social plan

For an operational change of this scale, the employer and the works council (Betriebsrat) negotiate a reconciliation of interests (Interessenausgleich) (covering whether, when and how it happens) and a social plan (Sozialplan) (compensating economic disadvantages) under §§ 111, 112 BetrVG. The social plan is a works agreement with direct legal effect; if no agreement is reached, it can be enforced through the conciliation committee (§ 112(4) BetrVG).

This is separate from the compensation for disadvantages under § 113 BetrVG: this applies if the employer carries out an operational change without having attempted to reach a reconciliation of interests with the works council, or deviates from it without compelling reason. In that case, affected employees can claim severance pay before the labour court.

What matters for you: a social plan is a framework agreement, and the individual offer presented to you must correctly implement the social plan in your specific case. That's exactly what we check.

Reviewing a voluntary offer

Before you accept a termination agreement or voluntary offer, we typically check:

Is the severance pay calculated correctly (gross salary, years of service, bonus components)?
Are release from work, remaining holiday, outstanding bonus entitlement and your reference letter properly regulated?
How does accepting this affect your unemployment benefit (ALG I)? A termination agreement can trigger a benefit suspension period (Sperrzeit, § 159 SGB III); if severance is paid without observing the notice period, your entitlement can also be suspended (§ 158 SGB III).
What remains after tax? For severance payments, the one-fifth rule (Fünftelregelung) can reduce the tax burden.
Would a transfer company (Transfergesellschaft) be a better option than taking the severance pay immediately?

German law grants no general, automatic right to severance pay. As a rule of thumb, 0.5 to 1.0 gross monthly salaries per year of service is often used as a reference point, not a guarantee. Where a social plan applies, the figures are often higher.

If you are dismissed after all

If Evonik does issue an operational dismissal, the three-week deadline under § 4 KSchG applies: an unfair dismissal claim (Kündigungsschutzklage) must be filed with the labour court within three weeks of receiving the notice of dismissal. In a company with a works council, the prospects of success are usually good, and proceedings often end in a settlement that includes severance pay.

How we work at Team Abfindung

Initial consultation at no upfront cost: we review your offer or your dismissal notice.
Instructing us: litigation funding with no advance payment.
Negotiation through our partner law firm, MK Law.
Filing a claim if necessary at the competent labour court.
Settlement or judgment, usually severance pay agreed at the conciliation hearing.

Frequently asked questions