Christmas bonus for civil servants in Schleswig-Holstein: decision is approaching!

Christmas bonus for civil servants in Schleswig-Holstein: decision is approaching!

Christmas is approaching, and there could be a very special surprise this year for almost 100,000 civil servants and pensioners in Schleswig-Holstein: The Federal Constitutional Court is planning to decide on Christmas bonuses for civil servants this year. This was confirmed by the state chairman of the Civil Service Association, Kai Tellkamp, ​​who reported progress in the process. The case has a long history since the Christmas bonus for civil servants was partially canceled or reduced in 2007. Not only financial matters are at stake here, but also compliance with constitutional requirements.

The judicial officer Anke Pöhls, who received legal protection from the Civil Service Association, also relied on a good hand. But the matter dragged on, and a delay occurred when the responsible judge, Ulrich Maidowski, retired early. His successor, Holger Wöckel, has now taken over responsibility and will formulate the proposal for the decision. However, Maidowski said that the process was on the home stretch and that clarification was imminent.

Progress and challenges

The result could have far-reaching consequences for officials. Possible additional payments for the withheld Christmas bonus payments from 2007 to 2021 are being discussed. Former Finance Minister Monika Heinold and her successor Silke Schneider estimate that the country would have to reimburse up to 1.5 billion euros. There are currently no reserves for these reimbursements and a pension fund with over 1.2 billion euros is used as an emergency fund. The civil servants themselves have raised around half of this pension fund by sacrificing salaries, which is increasing the pressure on the country.

Finance Minister Schneider understands the expectations of officials, but remains vague about the timing of a possible decision. “The situation is intolerable,” says Kai Tellkamp, ​​who also filed a delay complaint against the court. The civil servants' association is even considering involving the European Court of Human Rights if the efforts come to nothing due to further delays. According to the Ministry of Finance, the Christmas bonus in Schleswig-Holstein would cost around 140 million euros per year, which is further fueling the debate.

Looking into the future

In a response from the Federal Constitutional Court to a status inquiry, the officials involved were told that over 50 regulatory review procedures are pending from eleven federal states and that selected pilot procedures are already being processed. The court has promised to use human resources to decide the cases quickly, while keeping an eye on the practicality of the decisions. However, it remains uncertain whether additional payments or salary adjustments will be necessary if the decision is positive.

The dbb Schleswig-Holstein has been fighting for the return of the Christmas bonus since 2018 and is calling for legal clarity and possible corrections. However, until the final decision is made, the patience of those affected will continue to be put to the test.

For more information you can read the articles about the developments on kn-online.de, ndr.de as well as dbb.de be read.