For years, the case of a teacher from North Rhine-Westphalia has been making headlines across Germany. The 62-year-old has been on long-term sick leavesince 2009, but throughout this period she has continued to receive her full salary as a civil servant teacher. She is now taking legal action against being forced into retirement – because that would mean she would only receive her pension in the future.
Most recently, the teacher worked at a vocational college in Wesel. According to WDR and Spiegel, she submitted medical certificates over many years citing a psychological condition. An official medical assessment was not initially ordered. It was only this year that a public health officer concluded that a return to teaching within the next six months could not be expected.
