The Düsseldorf Regional Labour Courtroom (Landesarbeitsgericht, LAG) has dominated {that a} “Corona quarantine” throughout ongoing go away doesn’t mechanically result in the next granting of go away pursuant to part 9 of the Federal Go away Act (Bundesurlaubsgesetz, BurlG) – LAG Düsseldorf, 7 October 2021, docket quantity 10 Sa 867/21.
1. Information
The plaintiff was on authorised go away when she examined optimistic for the Sars Cov-2 virus. The well being authority issued a discover ordering quarantine and in addition said that the plaintiff was now thought-about sick within the sense of part 2 no. 4 of the An infection Safety Act (Infektionsschutzgesetz, IfSG). Nonetheless, the plaintiff didn’t have herself examined for incapacity to work. Nonetheless, she holds the view that the times of go away spent in quarantine (10 in whole) must be credited to her beneath part 9 BurlG. She due to this fact sought a declaration that she was nonetheless entitled to 10 days of go away for the 12 months 2020.
The Labour Courtroom dismissed the case. The plaintiff continued to pursue her declare on enchantment.
2. Ruling
The LAG dominated that the plaintiff was not entitled to the requested declaration. Part 9 BurlG distinguished between sickness and incapacity for work: Not each sickness led to incapacity for work. Nonetheless, the plaintiff had not supplied proof that she was unable to work. Particularly, the official discover stating that the plaintiff was in poor health throughout the which means of part 2 no. 4 of the An infection Safety Act was not ample for this function, so the court docket.
An identical utility of part 9 of the Federal Vacation Act (BUrlG) was additionally out of the query, as a result of the employer owed solely launch from work and cost of vacation pay throughout the scope of the vacation entitlement and never a “vacation success” (for instance, the likelihood to journey, and many others.). Occasions that subsequently intervene with go away are a part of the private danger of life and fall throughout the worker’s sphere of danger, the court docket expressed. The legislature had regulated exceptions in sections 9, 10 BUrlG.
There was no comparable curiosity in part 9 BUrlG, which makes the aforementioned exception within the case of incapacity for work as a result of sickness. It couldn’t sometimes be assumed that holidays couldn’t be restful within the case of a Covid 19 sickness, since delicate programs had been additionally attainable. Furthermore, restoration was additionally attainable in quarantine.
Because of the authorized query of whether or not sickness with COVID-19 with out licensed incapacity for work permits a similar utility of part 9 BurlG, the LAG allowed an enchantment to the Federal Labour Courtroom with out it being obvious that that is pending.
3. Conclusion
The choice is to be welcomed. Not each sickness results in incapacity for work. No exception will be made to this within the case of Covid-19.
As well as, the quarantine order can’t play any function on this context: Quarantine doesn’t essentially forestall restoration, nor does it result in incapacity for work. Even when the worker can’t carry out his or her work within the residence workplace, within the case of an formally ordered quarantine it’s not the sickness that results in incapacity for work, however the official order. On this case, the worker is sufficiently protected by the compensation declare beneath part 56 IfSG.