Minimum wage, driver's license, mask requirement: that will change for consumers in October
Created: 2022-09-26Updated: 2022-09-26 2:12 PM
By: Stella Henrich
October 2022 brings some innovations for consumers.
The minimum wage is rising, the gas surcharge is wobbling and the mask requirement in practices is coming.
An overview.
Munich - In keeping with the season, the changes for consumers in October will be as bright and colorful as the leaves of trees and bushes, which slowly begin to change color as autumn approaches.
The most important changes at a glance:
Nationwide corona measures
Complete vaccination protection
The minimum wage rises to twelve euros
New upper earnings limit for mini and midi jobbers
Mandatory heating check
Partial solar eclipse seen on October 25th
New questions for the driver's license test
The WhatsApp messenger service is being phased out on old iPhones
Initially still open: the planned gas surcharge for consumers
That will change in October 2022: the nationwide corona measures
The new Infection Protection Act will apply from October 1, 2022 to April 7, 2023.
These include the obligation to wear masks in medical practices and in long-distance public transport, as well as the nationwide obligation to provide evidence of masks and tests for hospitals and care facilities.
The federal states can also take individual measures depending on the infection situation.
For example, they decide whether masks are compulsory for restaurants and other indoor areas.
The federal states also decide whether there should be compulsory testing in schools again and a mask requirement from the fifth school year.
School closures, on the other hand, should no longer exist.
The mask requirement on airplanes, which has been in force for months, is to end for the time being.
Corona in October 2022: Complete vaccination protection
People who have had two vaccinations or fewer against the coronavirus will no longer be considered fully vaccinated as of October 1.
Anyone who has been vaccinated twice and recovered is considered to be fully vaccinated.
The recovered status is verified using a positive antibody test before the first vaccination or a positive PCR test from before or after the second vaccination, according to the Federal Center for Health Education on the subject of infection protection.
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The Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) provides information on corona test centers in the federal states.
You can use a map of Germany to search for test centers in your area.
Federal states, cities and municipalities provide information about test centers in the respective regions.
Changes: The minimum wage increases to twelve euros in October
On October 1st, the statutory minimum wage in Germany will be raised to twelve euros gross per hour.
It also applies to collective agreements that provide for lower salary levels.
According to Federal Labor Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD), more than six million employees will benefit from the new minimum wage.
So far, the minimum wage was 9.82 euros.
The minimum wage will be raised to twelve euros gross per hour from October 1st.
(Iconic image) © Jürgen Ritter/imago
New upper earnings limit for mini and midi jobbers
With the increase in the minimum wage, the monthly earnings caps for mini and midi jobs also increase.
People who have a so-called 450-euro job can then earn up to 520 euros from October.
This corresponds to working ten hours a week.
People who have a midi job can earn up to 1600 euros in the future.
Originally, this upper limit was 1300 euros.
Energy in October 2022: Mandatory heating check
The ordinance that came into force in October with the awkward name “Measures of the ordinance to secure the energy supply through medium-term effective measures” obliges homeowners to have their heating systems checked within the next two years.
That means you have to have your heating system hydraulically balanced.
The heating checks should be carried out by specialists, such as heating engineers, chimney sweeps or energy consultants.
Partial solar eclipse seen on October 25th
One reason for anticipation is the partial solar eclipse.
The sky spectacle can be seen in Germany on October 25 from 11:10 a.m. to 1:16 p.m. - depending on the location.
The sun is partially covered by the moon.
For solar eclipses there are special glasses with which you can risk looking into the sun without risk.
Driving license test: New theory from October 2022
From October 1, 2022, the questions for the theoretical driving test will be changed.
New questions are added, old questions revised.
The list of questions contains a total of 52 questions that applicants for a driver's license must answer.
WhatsApp: messenger service ends on old iPhones
As of October 25, WhatsApp will only work on devices with the operating system iOS 12 or higher.
If you have an iPhone of the fifth generation or older, you will no longer be able to use the WhatsApp messenger service in the future.
Gas levy: consumers still in the dark - is it coming or not?
The parties in the German Bundestag are at odds with the back and forth about the planned gas surcharge.
It should actually come and be mandatory for all consumers with gas heating on October 1, according to the plans of the traffic light coalition.
But now she is supposed to be "gone".
This has been the subject of arguments and debates for weeks.
Finance Minister and Green coalition partner Christian Lindner (FDP) asked the question of meaning.
He has set up his own group of experts in his ministry for the gas surcharge, as he announced to Anne Will on Sunday evening's ARD talk show.
In the
Bild am Sonntag
, Lindner said that he did not consider the associated additional costs to be sensible in view of the economic situation and thus duped the Green Economics Minister Robert Habeck.
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