[adamhepner]

As a freelancer in Germany, I can add to that: it's not only that companies are stingy with employees. From what I had observed, a growing number of software engineers found out how tax calculations work, and decide to go freelance by the numbers. In my current team of less than 10 software developers, 2 has just recently decided to take the plunge.

This comes however with increased risk, as the contracts are usually limited to 6 months, and because of "Scheinselbstständigkeit" (appearing to be employed, even though you are contracted out to your own company, or DBA) companies are prohibitted from prolonging those contracts, unless they want to pay horrendous penalties.

All is good and great, I understand why those laws were put into place (mostly to protect unskilled workers, like drivers or manufacturing line workers from being forced to sign more beneficial - to the company - contracts instead of work agreements), but the software engineers, with the employment gap will in most cases easily find a replacement job somewhere near, yet the companies necessarily undergo a brain drain, and the know how gets leaked out.

Just imagine, you need a couple of weeks to be able to actually productively add features to the product, then take a bit time off, some workshop, a ton of meetings, and basically your 6 months are off, and unless your client is willing to take the risk, your starting your offboarding - just mabye transferring all that you had learned in the meantime to somebody else.

[sbruny]

I'm a freelancer, too. But, I don't think this leads to massive "brain-drain" within a company, when working with lots of freelancers. Let's take a look at our jobs and how we treat our clients. Mostly we'll be (somehow) integrated into a team of developers. As a freelancer, I'm hired, because I'm an expert in my field of profession. So while working with the team, I'll share my knowlegde with them, so they can profit from my expertise in longer terms.

What I miss in germany, is developers of ability, sharing their experience in public. Whenever I look for inspiration/learning/ressources, it's guys like Robert C. Martin, Martin Fowler or Kent Beck with the best material.

I can't believe that our country doesn't have a few of such minds, too.

[pluma]

I was a freelancer and became a contractor for my own company a few years ago (only German kids will get this).

I've been in situations like the one you describe, where I'm one of many developers and share my knowledge. I've also been "the developer" in companies that have no permanently employed developers or no interest in sharing knowledge. I've also interviewed at companies that had effectively outsourced their entire development to another company (with the team working on-site full time but being employed by another company who would rent them out for jobs like these).

These companies often relied on their code as a critical part of being able to do business. Some of them were literally software companies. Yes, it's shortsighted and obviously a bad idea but companies operate like this, especially smaller companies that think they can reduce financial risks by hiring freelancers even if they effectively overpay compared to what a salaried developer would cost them.

[sbruny]

Yes, I share those experiences. Lots of business-decisions are counter-productive to us software-people. Maybe it's because software is a kind of craft, with art and engeneering qualities, that is hard to reason about correctly, if you are not "into it".

Short term business decisions, like outsourcing, may indicate a need for higher liquidity within an accute financial situation (which is common for small companies). I think most managers know the longer term risks, but are somehow forced to do so.

However, I see us "software people" in charge to change the situation, by insiting on disciplines, like knowlegde-sharing, proper testing, etc. Maybe germany needs a better IT-community...

[raverbashing]

> What I miss in germany, is developers of ability, sharing their experience in public.

Go to a meetup and you'll see some examples of that

But about the names mentioned, I see some good ideas but mostly empty words and "religious rituals" touted by them

[drinchev]

100 times this.

Also freelance taxes are not so much better than regular ones. Usually at the end of the year I take holidays, just because I know that if I earn more, my profit will be deducted by the taxes.

This is a double-penalty. First you "take the risk" of being on your own and second after around 60k [1] income 1/3 of what you earn goes for taxes, so you can't "save money for rainy days". At this point is becoming demotivating and you better take some months off.

1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxation_in_Germany#/media/Fil...

[MrBuddyCasino]

Exactly. Thanks SPD for passing another well-intentioned-but-stupid law that hampers our competitiveness.

[pluma]

I'm not a CDU[1] voter by far but the Schröder government really screwed this one up by trying to "modernize" labor laws.

When I started out freelancing I thought consulting agencies were actually viable so I applied to various projects posted by them. Every single time I ended up turning them down because the contracts they'd send me would effectively mean I'd no longer be able to seek clients myself out of the fear of violating the non-compete clause (unless I'd always ask every client "have you recently signed a contract with this consulting agency") yet I'd have no guarantee of actually winning the contract, they'd take a massive cut of my hourly rate, they'd force me to accept payment deadlines of up to three months (my normal limit was 14 days) but I'd effectively get none of the benefits of a regular employee other than having them as a mediator (assuming they'd ever not side with the client).

Being a software developer I was able to reject those offers and instead seek out clients myself. But for many people in less fortunate skillsets this is the kind of crap they have to put up with, especially with companies offloading more and more of their workforce into these agencies to make it easier to hire & fire people as needed. Because they're not regular employees and union contracts and salary laws don't apply, many of them earn well below minimum wage (if they can find contracts at all) and need welfare to "top up" to the same level as someone without a job at all.

A lot of the laws at the time needed fixing but this was a blatant attempt to reduce the unemployment stats without actually helping people. I'd say because it actively obscures the issue without solving it it has actually things worse for the people affected.

[1]: The two major parties in Germany are the left-of-center SPD and the conservative centrist/right party CDU. The current chancellor, Merkel, is a member of the CDU and the government consists of a coalition between the CDU and SPD. The government that passed the labor and welfare reforms consisted of a coalition between the SPD and the Greens, with the chancellor Schröder being a member of the SPD. Many had voted for the SPD at the time hoping for a more left-leaning government, which eventually resulted in a mass exodus of SPD members forming their own minor party which eventually joined the far left party "Die Linke" (the left).

[MrBuddyCasino]

I'm totally with you that "Leiharbeit" needs to go. Its about exploiting the weakest for the financial gain of morally rotten middlemen. I'm just saying the law could have been passed with less collateral damage.

[mercer]

Ha, your [1] sounds pretty much exactly like what happened with the PvdA (labor) and VVD (center-right) coalition. It's like all the leftist parties that aren't 'properly' so don't even try anymore.

(Holland)