Key facts
- A German teacher has been on sick leave with full pay since 2009.
- She is now being forced into retirement at age 62.
- The teacher is suing the Düsseldorf Administrative Court to contest her retirement.
- Authorities are investigating her for suspected commercial fraud, alleging she falsely claimed incapacity.
- A district government employee is also under disciplinary proceedings for failing to properly review her case.
A 62-year-old teacher in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, who has been on long-term sick leave since 2009 and receiving her full salary, is now challenging her forced retirement in court. The teacher, who most recently worked at a vocational college in Wesel, submitted medical certificates citing a psychological condition for years. An official medical assessment this year concluded that a return to teaching within the next six months was not expected, leading the Düsseldorf district government to order her retirement at the end of May. The teacher has filed a lawsuit against this decision, and until a ruling is made, she will receive payments equivalent to her pension, with any excess over her pension entitlement being withheld.
Parallel to the legal battle over retirement, the Duisburg public prosecutor's office is investigating the teacher on suspicion of commercial fraud. Authorities suspect she may have falsely claimed to be unfit for duty and worked as an alternative health practitioner while on sick leave. Investigators searched her home in March, seizing documents and digital storage devices, with potentially relevant evidence reportedly found. The fraud investigation covers a four-year period, as older alleged offenses may be time-barred.
Disciplinary proceedings are also underway against the teacher and an employee of the Düsseldorf district government, who is accused of failing to initiate a proper review of her alleged permanent incapacity for service for years. The case has ignited a nationwide debate regarding the oversight of civil servants on extended sick leave. North Rhine-Westphalia's education minister, Dorothee Feller, has described the events as "inexcusable" and "incomprehensible in its scale."