German Teacher Faces Scrutiny After 16 Years of Paid Sick leave
A teacher in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, is being compelled to undergo a medical examination after receiving paid sick leave for 16 consecutive years. According to a report by die Welt, the teacher could earn up to €6,174 per month (approximately NT$220,000), totaling around €72,000 annually. over the 16-year period, this amounts to approximately €1.152 million (roughly NT$35.6 million),without adjusting for inflation.
The local education bureau initiated an inquiry into the teacher’s prolonged absence and requested a medical assessment to verify her condition. However, the teacher refused to cooperate with the examination and subsequently filed a lawsuit, arguing the request was unreasonable.
Recently, a judge at the local High Administrative Court dismissed the teacher’s lawsuit, ruling that she must submit to the medical examination to continue receiving paid sick leave. The judge also ordered the teacher to cover litigation costs of €2,500 (approximately NT$89,000). during the hearing, the judge expressed concern over the length of time before the education bureau took action, stating, “It is really incomprehensible!”
The case has drawn criticism from the Teachers Union of north Rhine-Westphalia. Chairman Andreas Bartsch condemned the situation, stating, “This behavior is a humiliation for my colleagues. I have never seen such an outrageous situation in my entire career.” He further explained that, under local labour laws, the school is unable to hire a replacement teacher during a period of sick leave, meaning the workload is absorbed by other teachers without additional compensation.
Update time: 2025.08.25 09:30 Taipei time
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