Abroad|30/08/21

GERMANY: Dismissal for breach of regulations against COVID

Home > The news of EUROGIP and occupational risks in Europe > GERMANY: Dismissal for breach of regulations against COVID

An employee was dismissed without notice because he deliberately coughed on a colleague with the intention of infecting him with SARS-CoV-2.

In mid-March 2020, the employer had put in place a pandemic protection plan. Among other things, the plan required employees to cover their mouths when coughing or sneezing. However, one employee reported in conversations that he “did not take the protective measures seriously” and would not follow them. In fact, he deliberately coughed on a colleague without following any rules.

After approval by the works council, the employer dismissed the employee, accusing him of repeatedly failing to comply with the hygiene measures taken due to the pandemic and the safety distances. However, he was unable to prove the alleged facts.

In a decision of 14 May 2021 (Ref. Js 236650/20), the District Court of Frankfurt am Main qualified a similar incident during a traffic check as an assault on the police and fined him 1,440 euros.

Source (in German)

Discover other news

Community news

14/05/25

The cost of psychosocial exposure in the workplace

As part of a project to study the impact of psychosocial exposures at work on health, the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) has published a research report on the economic costs of cardiovascular disease and depression attributable to psychosocial exposures at work in the European Union.

News

05/05/25

EUROGIP’s annual report is now available!

This report details all the actions implemented by EUROGIP during 2024, and provides an opportunity to review the missions of this French Health Insurance - Occupational Risks organization dedicated to European, and even international, issues relating to accidents at work and occupational diseases.