Expertenthemenbeschreibung Labor law

Labor law

Always up to date

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Whether it be short-time work, service contracts, working shifts or home office, the parameters for modern work and flexible crisis measures are changing continuously.

VDMA offers its members a consistently updated overview of the legal decisions and developments relevant to companies and HR managers.

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Titel der Empfehlung: Arbeitsrecht

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  • Labor law
© Juergen Nowak / Shutterstock.com
In economically challenging times, companies are faced with the difficult task of optimizing their personnel costs. There are various options for reducing these costs and making them more flexible, such as the targeted reduction of overtime or the introduction of short-time working through to downsizing.
© Juergen Nowak / Shutterstock.com

From our content

From our content
Exclusion from works council due to data protection breach

Forwarding of personal employee data by works council member via private email account justifies exclusion from works council

Voluntary military service, federal voluntary service, disaster relief

The newly formed government wants to maintain the voluntary nature of military service. In addition, it plans to further strengthen the reserve and homeland security and to better anchor them structurally and socially.

GDPR violation according to works agreement

Compensation after loss of control of data

Unauthorized publication of health data

Disclosure of health data by employers can lead to compensation.

"Debate on flexibilization of working hours"

Companies in Germany urgently need relief, also in terms of labor market regulations. Switching to a maximum weekly working time would be an important step towards more flexibility.

Employment law and labor market policy 2025: What companies can expect

Current labor law and political decisions present companies with new challenges - an overview of the most important changes and practical recommendations for implementation.

Mastering challenges in NRW - securing the future

Strengthen the resilience of your company. Our series of events shows ways to restructure in the mechanical and plant engineering industry in North Rhine-Westphalia - compact, practical and future-oriented.

Non-material damages due to data protection breach

The BAG specifies the requirements for non-material claims for damages under Art. 82 para. 1 GDPR.

Assessment of the labor market and social policy plans

No economic growth, an ageing society and rising expenditure and contributions: The challenges in labor market and social policy could hardly be greater.

Announcement of the 2025 garnishment exemption limits

On April 11, 2025, the 2025 garnishment exemption limits pursuant to Section 850c ZPO were published in the Federal Law Gazette.

Personnel costs: Options for reducing and increasing flexibility

In economically challenging times, companies are often faced with the difficult task of optimizing their personnel costs.

ECJ ruling on works agreements

Company agreements must be fully GDPR-compliant.

Collective agreement for regional personnel deployment in Baden-Württemberg

The parties to the collective agreement in the M E industry in Baden-Württemberg have concluded a collective agreement that enables companies to lend employees to each other in order to avoid short-time working or redundancies.

Pay slips as an electronic document

Pay slips may only be provided online

focus Recht brochure "Dismissal for operational reasons"

Assistance from the VDMA legal department on dismissals for operational reasons

Adjustments to maternity protection adopted

On January 30, 2025, the Bundestag passed amendments to maternity protection in the event of miscarriages (printed matter 20/14231). The changes will come into force on June 1, 2025.

Short-time work: Temporary reduction in personnel capacity

In the event of an increasing lack of orders and a lack of capacity utilization, the instrument of short-time work combined with short-time work compensation is an option for companies and employees.

No digital access right of a trade union to the company

By denying a trade union the right of digital access to the company, the BAG sets limits to the institutional freedom of association.

Labor market: Changes from January 1, 2025

On January 1, 2025 and over the course of the next year, a number of changes will be made to the labor market.

Short-time allowance: Entitlement period extended to 24 months

On December 18, 2024, the Federal Cabinet decided to extend the period of entitlement to short-time working allowance.

"Short-time work does not solve structural problems"

Structural changes are needed, not the expansion of expensive special formats. The extension of the short-time working allowance is a political mistake.

News from labor market policy and employment law

Current developments in labor law and new laws pose challenges for the mechanical and plant engineering industry - an overview of decisions and legal adjustments that are relevant in practice.

Employer-relevant regulations of the EU AI Act

The Confederation of German Employers' Associations (BDA) has prepared an application paper on the provisions of the Artificial Intelligence Regulation (AI Regulation) that are relevant for employers.

Wage settlement in the M+E industry

NORDMETALL and the Bavarian Metal and Electrical Industry Association (vbm) reached a pilot agreement with the IG Metall districts on the coast and Bavaria on November 12, 2024.

The eDeclaration is a necessary step towards reducing bureaucracy

The EU-Commission has given the go-ahead for a single EU-wide digital declaration portal for the posting of workers. VDMA expressly welcomes this first step towards reducing bureaucracy.

Reducing bureaucracy: effects on employment law

On September 26, 2024, the Bundestag passed the Fourth Act to Reduce Bureaucracy for Citizens, Business and the Administration (Fourth Bureaucracy Reduction Act, BEG IV) at its second and third readings.

Reporting obligations for work assignments in the EU

The different reporting obligations in the EU member states present companies with considerable bureaucratic challenges when it comes to work assignments. How can companies deal with this?

"Artificial intelligence in the world of work" - VDMA BarCamp

On November 14, 2024, the VDMA and the Corporate Learning Community are organizing a BarCamp on the topic of "Artificial Intelligence in the World of Work" in Frankfurt am Main.

"Googling" triggers information obligations

"Googling" as part of a recruitment process triggers information obligations towards the applicant and can lead to a claim for compensation.

Unequal pay must be presented in a verifiable manner

With regard to the principle of equal pay, the employer must provide verifiable evidence of the criteria for unequal pay.

Unauthorized charging of a hybrid vehicle

Charging a hybrid vehicle without permission can have consequences under employment law.

Works council remuneration: New requirements adopted

On July 5, 2024, the Federal Council approved the Second Act Amending the Works Constitution Act. This means that the more specific regulations on the remuneration of works council members can come into force.

AGB law as international mandatory law

German law on the control of general terms and conditions is one of the regulations that also apply if the parties to the employment contract have made a choice of law in favor of a foreign legal system.

Verification Act: Cabinet clears the way for text form!

At its meeting on 19.06.2024, the Federal Cabinet adopted a formulation aid for the Fourth Bureaucracy Relief Act (BEG IV).

Focus on applicant data and recruiting

Digitalization and the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) do not stop at application processes.

Improper certificates of incapacity for work in circulation

Recently, an increasing number of incorrect certificates of incapacity for work have been appearing. The Confederation of German Employers' Associations (BDA) has sent out a circular on this subject.

Current developments in labor law and labor market policy

The effects of recent labor market policy decisions and current case law in labor law on operational practice in NRW mechanical and plant engineering.

Working Hours Act: New edition of the focus Recht brochure available

The focus Recht brochure "The Working Hours Act (ArbZG) at a glance" has been updated and is now available in a new edition.

Whistleblower Protection Act - important deadlines

Action is required for all companies with at least 50 employees

Recording of working hours: draft law did not meet with approval

The German Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (BMAS) published a draft law on the recording of working hours on April 18, 2023. This has not yet been approved by the coalition.

BMF publishes FAQ on inflation compensation lump sum

After the possibility of paying the tax-free inflation compensation lump sum was included in the law (§ 3 No. 11c EStG), the Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF) has now published an FAQ to clarify individual questions.

Working time must be recorded with immediate effect

A bombshell from Erfurt: according to the Federal Labor Court, employers are obliged to record their employees' working hours.

Employees residing abroad

"Mobile working abroad" has become a top issue for companies that want to be attractive to qualified specialists and managers who live outside Germany. But what needs to be taken into account?

BQ-Portal: The portal for foreign professional qualifications

The information portal for foreign professional qualifications (BQ-Portal) bundles all relevant information on foreign professional qualifications and vocational training systems on one platform.

Offers for companies, applicants

The network of the Federal Employment Agency also plays a central role in the placement of skilled workers from abroad.

Bundestag approves tax-free inflation compensation premium of up to 3,000 euros

As part of the third relief package, the German government had agreed on the temporary introduction of a tax-free special payment. This was adopted by the Bundestag today in the second and third readings.

Changes in income tax: Home office flat rate, workroom and pension expenses

The German government has agreed on a draft annual tax law and introduced it into the parliamentary procedure. It also includes some regulations for wage and employee taxation.

Labor market policy for prosperity and innovation

The mechanical and plant engineering sector is a driver of digital and sustainable production. Its well-trained employees - more than one million in Germany alone - make a major contribution to quantitative and qualitative growth around the world. But an increasing shortage of skilled workers threatens to put the brakes on this success. In addition to a sustainable education policy, the solution to the problem must above all include a good labor market policy that focuses on flexibility.

Mobile working abroad – info campaign offers comprehensive insights

What initially appears easy to implement turns into a legal bureaucratic monster on closer inspection. Here you will find the most important messages from the VDMA series of events on the topic of "Mobile working abroad".

Corona duty of disclosure is overdue

It is right and overdue that the policy now meets the demand for mandatory information on the vaccination status of employees. The initiative comes late, hopefully not too late.

Important questions on this topic

Important questions on this topic

To the point

To the point

Auf den Punkt Zitat - Arbeitsrecht

"Weekly maximum working hours bring many benefits and cost nothing!"

Thilo Brodtmann, Managing Director of the VDMA

Auf den Punkt Zahl Labor Law

70

percent

of VDMA member companies are not bound by collective agreements.

Source: VDMA

Auf den Punkt Zusammenfassung Arbeitsrecht

Summary
Collective wage agreement in the M+E industry 2024
  • Term until 31.10.2026
  • Increase in collectively agreed wages by 2 percent as of 01.04.2025
  • 3.1 percent increase in collectively agreed salaries as of 01.04.2026
  • Increase in trainee remuneration by 140 euros per month as of 01.01.2025
  • One-off payment of 600 euros in February 2025 (can be brought forward to December 2024) for all other employees
  • The automatic differentiation for companies in a difficult economic situation will be continued for two years

Events

Events

Wed. 25.06.25 Wed. 25.06.25

  • Baden-Wuerttemberg

We cordially invite you to a Web-Erfa on the topic of the labor market hub.

Places available

Thu. 25.09.25 Thu. 25.09.25

exclusive

  • Labour Law
  • Posting of Workers
  • International Tax Law

Ask your questions about work assignments abroad and get in touch online with the VDMA Tax, Legal and Foreign Trade departments!

Places available

Tue. 09.12.25 Tue. 09.12.25

exclusive

  • Labour Law
  • Posting of Workers
  • International Tax Law

Ask your questions about work assignments abroad and get in touch online with the VDMA Tax, Legal and Foreign Trade departments!

Places available

More VDMA services

More VDMA services

More expert and focus topics

More expert and focus topics
Labor Market
Competitiveness, growth and job security require adaptability, value creation based on the division of labour and a flexible labour market. Digitalisation requires modern framework conditions for Work 4.0.
Securing skilled workers
Almost 60 percent of employees in the mechanical and plant engineering sector are skilled workers. Alongside engineers, they shape the role of mechanical and plant engineering as a decisive enabler for green technologies.
Home Office
For many employees, working in a home office is a completely new situation that has caught them very unprepared due to the pandemic. This raises a host of practical and legal issues.

Your contact

Your contact

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