📞 Advice and contact points

Who is responsible for which concern – from acute crisis to social-law advice.

In brief

Depending on your concern, different bodies are responsible: for acute crises the TelefonSeelsorge or the emergency number, for initial medical assessment your GP or 116117, for social-law questions (sickness benefit, rehab, reduced earning capacity pension) the Deutsche Rentenversicherung or independent social advice centres, for employment-law questions the works council, a trade union or a specialist lawyer for employment law.

Step by step

Acute crisisTelefonSeelsorge (0800 111 0 111 or 0800 111 0 222, free, anonymous, around the clock) or emergency number 112.
Initial medical assessmentYour GP or the appointment service centre 116117 for an appointment at a psychotherapeutic consultation.
Social-law questionsDeutsche Rentenversicherung (rehab, reduced earning capacity pension), health insurer (sickness benefit) or an independent social advice centre or social association (e.g. VdK, SoVD) for a low membership fee.
Employment-law and workplace questionsWorks council, company doctor, trade union or specialist lawyer for employment law.
Family-related exhaustionAdvice centres of the Müttergenesungswerk for mother-child and father-child cures.

Deadlines

No statutory deadline

You can use advice at any time. But note the deadlines named on the respective topic pages (e.g. deadlines for objections).–

Watch out – common mistakes

This overview does not replace legal advice in an individual case – for complex social-law proceedings (e.g. an objection against a pension refusal), expert support is recommended early on.
Some services (e.g. workplace staff counselling/EAP) are not available at every employer – ask actively at the HR department or works council.

In depth · legal basis, figures and practice – for advisers and professionals

Acute help

The TelefonSeelsorge (0800 111 0 111 and 0800 111 0 222, and online at telefonseelsorge.de) offers advice free of charge, anonymously and around the clock – regardless of whether a diagnosis already exists. In acute danger to oneself or others, the emergency number 112 or the nearest emergency room is the right point of contact.

Social-law advice

The Deutsche Rentenversicherung and health insurers offer their own free advice on their respective benefits. Independent advice is also offered by social associations such as the VdK or the Sozialverband Deutschland (SoVD) for a membership fee, and – for legal disputes – by specialist lawyers for social law, in some cases with legal advice assistance (Beratungshilfe) for people on low incomes.

Workplace and employment-law contact points

Works council, staff council, representation of severely disabled employees and the company doctor are contact persons within the company. Trade unions advise their members on employment-law questions, in some cases with their own legal protection.

Who is responsible

Varies depending on your concern – see text above

Quick questions

Worum geht es bei „Advice and contact points“?

Who is responsible for which concern – from acute crisis to social-law advice.

Which deadlines and figures matter?

No statutory deadline: You can use advice at any time. But note the deadlines named on the respective topic pages (e.g. deadlines for objections). (–)

What should I do first?

Acute crisis: TelefonSeelsorge (0800 111 0 111 or 0800 111 0 222, free, anonymous, around the clock) or emergency number 112.
Initial medical assessment: Your GP or the appointment service centre 116117 for an appointment at a psychotherapeutic consultation.
Social-law questions: Deutsche Rentenversicherung (rehab, reduced earning capacity pension), health insurer (sickness benefit) or an independent social advice centre or social association (e.g. VdK, SoVD) for a low membership fee.

What do I need to watch out for?

This overview does not replace legal advice in an individual case – for complex social-law proceedings (e.g. an objection against a pension refusal), expert support is recommended early on.
Some services (e.g. workplace staff counselling/EAP) are not available at every employer – ask actively at the HR department or works council.

Evidence

telefonseelsorge.de
116117.de (appointment service centres of the Kassenärztliche Vereinigungen)
muettergenesungswerk.de

As of

As of September 2026. · Sources and method

A question about your situation that this page does not answer? Write to us or use the contact form – we will tell you which office is responsible and what to bring. Free of charge, without individual legal advice.