Former Mayor of Todtmoos Wins Equal Pay Court Case in Baden-Württemberg
Former mayor scores court victory on women's wage reduction issue
In a landmark decision, the Administrative Court of Freiburg has ordered the municipality of Todtmoos to pay former mayor Janette Fuchs more than 36,500 euros in damages and a compensation of 7,000 euros. The court case was based on the General Equal Treatment Act, following Fuchs' legal action against her successor being placed in the higher of two possible salary groups without proper justification.
According to the State Communal Remuneration Act, the remuneration of mayors in Baden-Württemberg is regulated, with the council deciding on the classification of a mayor's salary based on an objective, office-related evaluation of the specific municipal office. Only the objective requirements of the office should be taken into account, including the individual situation of the municipality, its special tasks, and the associated demands on the office holder.
Subjective, purely person-related aspects like special commitment, individual performance, experience, and gender should not be considered. The classification is such that upon re-election, a mayor automatically advances to the higher pay grade.
Fuchs believes that equal pay for equal work should be a matter of course, not something that needs to be fought for in court. She recommends that the positions for the office of mayor should be advertised with the pay grade already decided by the city council to avoid legal disputes in the future.
This court case follows a similar case fought by Fuchs' lawyer, Jörg Düsselberg, for the former mayor of Müllheim, Astrid Siemes-Knoblich. Two other mayors have also come forward with similar cases, indicating a potential systemic issue in the state's remuneration policies for mayors.
The ministry has stated that there is no need to change the legal regulations, but the Transparency in Remuneration Act, a federal law, is intended to support women in asserting their claim to equal pay for equal or equivalent work.
The municipality of Todtmoos will make a statement when a written judgment is available. Meanwhile, Fuchs continues to advocate for equal pay policies, hoping to prevent similar situations from arising in the future.
- In the realm of health-and-wellness, former mayor Janette Fuchs advocates for equal pay for equal work, citing her court victory in Todtmoos as a testament to this cause.
- The workplace-wellness of women in positions of power, such as mayors, is under scrutiny following a series of court cases, with Fuchs leading the charge against alleged gender-based pay disparities.
- The policy-and-legislation surrounding equal pay in Baden-Württemberg is being debated intensely, with the General Equal Treatment Act and the Transparency in Remuneration Act at the forefront of discussions.
- Despite the court victories, the ministry in charge of policy-and-legislation has announced no immediate plans to change the legal regulations, leaving the implementation of equal pay policies to the discretion of individual municipalities.
- The general-news cycle continues to highlight instances of inequality, with the ongoing fight for equal pay in the workplace, particularly in the health-and-wellness sector, being a key point of interest.
