# German labor law interpretations of employee conduct > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/german-labor-law-interpretations-of-employee-conduct > Updated: 2026-08-19T04:08:17.000Z. Sources: 2. Developments: 2. Legal interpretations of German labor law have addressed the boundaries of employee activities during non-working hours. Initial clarifications established that drafting job applications, including for internal vacancies within the same company, does not constitute working time. According to Nathalie Oberthür of the German Bar Association (DAV), employees must prepare these applications outside of their scheduled working hours. Subsequent legal analysis expanded on the implications of employee conduct during private time, specifically regarding social media use. While private social media activity is generally considered part of an individual’s private life, professional consequences may arise if posts connect to the employment relationship. Risks include disclosing business secrets, wearing company uniforms, or posting content that insults colleagues or management. Legal outcomes in these instances depend on specific circumstances, such as the visibility of the post and the expectation of confidentiality. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-19: Labor law implications of social media posts in Germany German labor law experts warn that private social media posts can lead to warnings or dismissal if they involve company secrets, insults to colleagues, or a direct connection to the workplace. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/labor-law-implications-of-social-media-posts-in-germany ### 2026-07-29: German Labour Law Bars Internal Job Applications as Working Time German labour law expert Nathalie Oberthür says internal job applications are never counted as working time and must be done in free time. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/german-labour-law-bars-internal-job-applications-as-working-time --- Cite as: German labor law interpretations of employee conduct. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/german-labor-law-interpretations-of-employee-conduct