A unique incident in Germany sparked widespread discussions. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
A vocational college teacher in the city of Wesel, North Rhine-Westphalia, was found to have regularly received a salary for 16 years without going to work. According to reports, the teacher had been officially on sick leave since 2009 and submitted medical certificates every month to receive his salary.
Thus, he was paid approximately one million euros over 16 years. His average monthly salary was about 6,100 euros.
This situation was discovered after the school administration changed. The new management decided to check the teacher's status and called him for a medical examination.
However, the teacher considered this decision unfair and took the matter to court. During the trial, he defended that the salary received based on long-term sick leave was lawful.
Nevertheless, the court sided with the school and ruled that the teacher not only must return the salary but also cover 2,500 euros in court costs. The judge described the case as incomprehensible because the teacher had not attended a single class in 16 years but continuously submitted medical certificates and received payment.
According to German law, civil servants, including teachers, have the right to unlimited sick leave and can receive full salary during this period. However, the law strictly prohibits a person on sick leave from engaging in other commercial activities.
It was revealed that during his sick leave, the teacher established a startup specializing in the medical field. This was considered a violation of the law and led to his defeat in court.
This incident sparked serious discussions in Germany about the laws governing sick leave for civil servants and their practical application.
