According to a recent decision of the European Court of Justice, employers may prohibit the wearing of any visible sign of political, ideological or religious convictions in the workplace under narrow conditions. A blanket ban on headscarves remains inadmissible.
The German nationwide emergency brake implemented to help contain the coronavirus spread expired on June 30, 2021, and slowly some normality seems to return to our private and working lives. Due to the sharp drop in incidence rates and the progress of the vaccination campaign, it was time for further relaxations of the restrictions.
The Act to Promote Works Council Elections and Works Council Activities in a Digital Working World (in short: Works Council Modernization Act) has come into force on June 18, 2021.
Although it initially appeared that a corresponding amendment to the existing law would be passed during the current legislative period and enter into force as planned on January 1, 2022, such a change to the law is off the table for the time being.
Having gone into effect on May 9, 2021, the German COVID-19 Protective Measures Exemption Regulation (SchAusnahmV) grants relief to vaccinated individuals and individuals who have recovered from a COVID-19 infection.
