![[Germany] Mixed court rulings for employers on discrimination, layoffs and payroll garnishment reforms](http://gpa.net/cdn/shop/articles/bigstock-Lady-Justice-statue-83021696_1200x.jpg?v=1783028170)
In Germany, several notable employment rulings have been made which employers should take note of, Ad Hoc News reports.
A Düsseldorf labour court has thrown out a €75,000 discrimination claim from a severely disabled job applicant. The decision is the latest legal crackdown on "AGG-Hopping", the practice of applying for jobs to demand compensation under Germany's General Equal Treatment Act (AGG).
The May 7 ruling reportedly found that the applicant had never genuinely sought employment; therefore, his claim was an abuse of law.
In a separate June 25 decision, the Federal Labour Court (BAG) eased the burden on companies conducting mass layoffs. Under case number 6 AZR 7/26, judges determined that minor discrepancies in the number of reported dismissals do not automatically invalidate the notices.
The employer in question had announced 34 layoffs but carried out only 31 or 32. The court ruled that the purpose of the notification procedure was still served. This ruling allows HR departments a small margin for administrative error.
July 1 saw Germany’s payroll departments updating their systems. The monthly garnishment-exempt base amount rose from €1,555.00 to €1,587.40, with an additional €597.42 per dependent and a new upper ceiling of €4,866.30.
The adjustments reportedly reflect routine indexation under the nation’s enforcement law and affect any company processing wage garnishment orders.
The push for systematic working-time registration has been intensifying. In the wake of landmark rulings from the European Court of Justice and the BAG, the German government has announced a draft bill that was expected in June 2026.
The bill will require employers to record start, end, and break times, including for remote work and trust-based hours. Experts have reportedly highlighted a related BAG judgment which ruled that travel time for field-service employees counts as paid working time.
Source: Ad Hoc News
In Germany, several notable employment rulings have been made which employers should take note of, Ad Hoc News reports.
A Düsseldorf labour court has thrown out a €75,000 discrimination claim from a severely disabled job applicant. The decision is the latest legal crackdown on "AGG-Hopping", the practice of applying for jobs to demand compensation under Germany's General Equal Treatment Act (AGG).
The May 7 ruling reportedly found that the applicant had never genuinely sought employment; therefore, his claim was an abuse of law.
In a separate June 25 decision, the Federal Labour Court (BAG) eased the burden on companies conducting mass layoffs. Under case number 6 AZR 7/26, judges determined that minor discrepancies in the number of reported dismissals do not automatically invalidate the notices.
The employer in question had announced 34 layoffs but carried out only 31 or 32. The court ruled that the purpose of the notification procedure was still served. This ruling allows HR departments a small margin for administrative error.
July 1 saw Germany’s payroll departments updating their systems. The monthly garnishment-exempt base amount rose from €1,555.00 to €1,587.40, with an additional €597.42 per dependent and a new upper ceiling of €4,866.30.
The adjustments reportedly reflect routine indexation under the nation’s enforcement law and affect any company processing wage garnishment orders.
The push for systematic working-time registration has been intensifying. In the wake of landmark rulings from the European Court of Justice and the BAG, the German government has announced a draft bill that was expected in June 2026.
The bill will require employers to record start, end, and break times, including for remote work and trust-based hours. Experts have reportedly highlighted a related BAG judgment which ruled that travel time for field-service employees counts as paid working time.
Source: Ad Hoc News
