German Federal Administrative Court reviews teacher overtime compensation

The German Federal Administrative Court (Bundesverwaltungsgericht) in Leipzig is reviewing a case regarding the compensation of overtime for teachers. The legal dispute centers on whether employers are required to conduct empirical studies to monitor working hours and prevent excessive overtime.

The case originated from a retired primary school principal in Hannover. A higher regional court in Lüneburg previously awarded the principal €31,435.59 in compensation for documented structural overtime, which averaged five hours and 42 minutes per week. The state of Lower Saxony has appealed this decision.

A key point of contention is whether this additional work was officially ordered by the employer. While Lower Saxony argues that extra services were never mandated, the plaintiff's legal counsel contends that the continuous assignment of tasks beyond standard working hours constitutes a de facto order, as civil servants are obligated to fulfill their duties.