Published on
25/07/2026 - 13:56 GMT+2
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.
The Düsseldorf district government then ordered at the end of May that the civil servant be placed into retirement. The 62-year-old has since filed a lawsuit against this decision with the Düsseldorf Administrative Court, the court has confirmed.
