Damages

Commencement of the „two months period“ for asserting claims for damages due to a violation of the General Act on Equal Treatment

By Nils Grunicke / 29 December 2017 11 June 2019 / Damages, Discrimination

On 29 June 2017 the Federal Labour Court ruled that a “rejection of an application” by a company requires an explicit or implied statement from the company that can be interpreted by the applicant in the way that his application was not successful. Only if such statement is received the two months period for asserting claims for damages due to a violation of the General Act on Equal Treatment commences (docket number 8 AZR 402/15). If a job application is rejected by the potential employer for reasons which constitute a violation of the prohibition of adverse treatment, the applicant can …

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Discriminatory job advertisement – No claim for damages if applicant was not “seriously” applying for the job

By Florian Jeske / 18 August 2017 11 June 2019 / Damages, Discrimination, Equal Treatment

If an applicant applies for a job solely to bring a claim then he will have no claim for damages, even if the job advertisement violates the General Act on Equal Treatment (judgement of the Munich labour court dated 24 November 2016, docket number 173 C 8860/16). A company advertised a voluntary job at a marketing agency in a local newspaper. The role required the employee to have frequent conversations with customers over the phone. The advertisement read, inter alia, “We are looking for a female employee with a friendly voice.” The male applicant (and later plaintiff), who had an …

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Rail Cartel: Which court is competent for recovery claims against a former manager?

By Thomas Wiedmann / 10 July 2017 11 June 2019 / Compliance, Damages

This is the first case in Germany in which a company has claimed for recovery from a former manager because he (allegedly) was responsible for the company infringing competion law. The decision of the Federal Labour Court (Bundesarbeitsgericht) was thus eagerly awaited. By judgment of 29 June 2017 (docket number 8 AZR 189/15), the Federal Labour Court annulled the former judgment and referred it back to the court of appeal in order to make further determinations. According to the published press release it could not be excluded that a decision cannot be made without without prior clarification of competion law. In this case, the civil courts (chambers specialised in competion law), …

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Damages for harassment at the workplace

By Dr. Isabel Schäfer / 20 April 2016 11 June 2019 / Damages, Discrimination

Unfair treatment at the workplace only qualifies as harassment if it based on continuing hostile and discriminatory behavior that follows a purpose not protected by the legal system and infringes on an individual’s personality or similar rights (judgment by the Higher Labour Court (Landesarbeitsgericht, LAG) Rheinland-Pfalz, 30 November 2015, docket no. 3 Sa 371/15). In this case, the employee sued for damages on the grounds of harassment at the workplace. He claimed that he was given inferior tasks that did not match his position. He also held that he was not provided with a desk, a computer or internet access. …

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Employment Germany

Damages