Enhanced Court Procedures in Saxony-Anhalt's Job Courts - Increased labor court cases in Saxony-Anhalt
In the state of Saxony-Anhalt, there has been a significant rise in cases at the labor court, according to Reinhard Engshuber, the president of the state labor court in Halle. This increase, which started in 2024, has continued into the first half of 2025, with approximately 1,543 resolved cases involving dismissals and a total of 3,892 cases being resolved.
The reasons behind this increase are multifaceted. Engshuber attributes the potential increase to economic market tensions. Colleagues from other state labor courts have reported similar trends since 2024.
One of the key issues driving the rise in cases is the growing number of disputes about workplace accommodations, such as prayer breaks, and data protection compliance. These issues, within the broader context of labor market pressures and evolving worker rights in Germany, have been highlighted in reports from the Hamm Higher Labour Court and Saxony-Anhalt's Ministry for Labour, Social Affairs, and Health.
Another factor contributing to labor court cases involves data protection issues. A 2025 ruling by the Federal Labor Court allowed non-material damages for GDPR transfer violations, reflecting an increased focus on compliance with data regulations in employment settings.
The state labor courts in Saxony-Anhalt describe their personnel staffing with judges as adequate. However, the increase in cases has led to an increase in the average duration of resolved cases, which has risen from 4.5 months in 2024 to 4.7 months in the first half of 2025.
The number of lawsuits filed with the state labor court in Saxony-Anhalt from January to June of 2025 was 3,866, a significant increase from the 6,240 cases in 2022, 6,600 cases in 2023, and 7,100 cases in 2024.
In almost half of the resolved cases at the state labor court in Saxony-Anhalt, the subject was dismissals between employers and employees. Nearly 1,300 resolved cases involved payment claims.
Looking ahead, Saxony-Anhalt's labor courts expect an increase in new cases this year, continuing the trend that started in 2024. The conference of the presidents of the state labor courts, which took place at the end of May, discussed the increase in cases. The focus will be on addressing these challenges and finding solutions to ensure a fair and efficient resolution of labor disputes in Saxony-Anhalt.
- Amidst the rising number of cases at the labor court in Saxony-Anhalt, discussions about the need for community policy updates, particularly in areas like vocational training, workplace accommodations, and data protection, have emerged as general news and policy-and-legislation topics in politics.
- The continuous increase in labor court cases in Saxony-Anhalt, with a focus on disputes about dismissals and payment claims, emphasizes the importance of vocational training programs and policies that address the complexities of the modern workforce, ensuring fairness and compliance in the workplace.
