Hessian State Social Court, 16.07.2013, Ref.: L 6 AL 116/12
People who have a degree of disability of less than 50% but at least 30% can be treated in the same way as severely disabled people by the Employment Agency in accordance with Section 2 (3) SGB IX.
The purpose of this equalisation is to compensate for the disability-related disadvantages that these people have when looking for a suitable job.
Pursuant to Section 68 (2) sentence 2 SGB IX, the decision of the employment agency has a constitutive effect, meaning that the status of severe disability is only established when the decision is issued.
The official equalisation is effective from the date of receipt of the application and may be limited in time.
In the above-mentioned judgement of the Hessian State Social Court, the court had to decide whether the Federal Employment Agency is obliged to treat a teacher with a degree of disability of 30% in the same way as severely disabled people so that he or she can obtain the status of civil servant for life.
Facts of the Case:
A teacher suffering from multiple sclerosis applied for equal status with a severely disabled person
The plaintiff, born in 1976, was suffering from multiple sclerosis. Since 2007, he had been working as a teacher in the context of a probationary civil servant position at a vocational school.
By decision of the Hessian Office for Care and Social Affairs dated 4 February 2011, the plaintiff was given a degree of disability of 30, taking into account multiple sclerosis.
Since the end of the probationary period, which was extended to the maximum period, on 21 October 2012, he has been employed as a vocational school teacher.
He was not taken on as a civil servant for life because premature disability could not be ruled out.
On 14 February 2011, the plaintiff therefore applied for equal status with a severely disabled person, as in the case of equal status, the status of civil servant for life can be granted with a predicted ability to work of only five years.
Federal Employment Agency rejects the equality application
However, the Federal Employment Agency, which is responsible for equal opportunities, rejected the application on the grounds that his job was not at risk due to his permanent employment contract.
The claimant first lodged an objection against this decision by the Employment Agency and, following the negative objection decision, brought an action before the Kassel Social Court.
The Kassel Social Court followed the plaintiff's opinion, cancelled the decision of the Employment Agency and obliged it to treat the plaintiff as a severely disabled person.
The Employment Agency appealed against this decision to the Regional Social Court.
Appeal judgement of the Hessian State Social Court:
The Hessian State Social Court also followed the teacher's opinion
In the opinion of the judges, the suitable workplace should be based on the activity as a teacher in a civil servant position.
A non-discriminatory situation is not already established if a disabled person is able to carry out an activity - which is regularly carried out as a civil servant - in any way (namely as an employee).
The judges also referred to the Hessian integration guidelines, according to which a generous approach should be taken when hiring disabled people.
In particular, physical fitness is to be assumed if it can be assumed that the employee has been fit for duty for at least 5 years.
Source: Hessian State Social Court
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