220,000 euros for 4,933 hours of overtime: a demand from an Augsburg official causes a stir
Created: 05/22/2022, 15:18
By: Theresa Kuchler
With a demand of 220,000 euros for his nearly 5,000 hours of overtime, an Augsburg official caused an uproar.
(Iconic image) © Thomas Koehler/imago
A civil servant in Augsburg worked a total of 4,933 hours of overtime.
He now demands 220,000 euros for this.
This creates excitement and misunderstanding.
Augsburg – Many Bavarians work too much, including officials.
Gerd Merkle, who has been head of the Augsburg building department for 30 years, has accumulated a lot of overtime during his time as a civil servant: 4,933 to be precise.
For his diligence, he now demands a payment of 220,000 euros - and triggers a controversial debate.
In his request, Merkle relies on his employer's service agreement from 2004. It stipulates that city employees can accumulate overtime at long-term costs, for example in order to retire earlier.
But the 63-year-old from Augsburg would rather see money instead.
Fat payment for ancient overtime: heated debate about the demand of an Augsburg official
As reported by
Bild am Sonntag
, former mayor Paul Wengert (SPD) describes Merkle's demand as "absurd".
Wengert signed the agreement during his tenure in 2004.
"He would certainly not get paid out to me," says the politician today.
"He would have to sue in court."
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Merkle gave up his employment at the city planning office in 2008 when he became the city's building officer.
Wengert says he should have claimed the overtime for the period from 2004 to 2008.
The FDP in Augsburg demands that the matter be clarified in court.
President of the Taxpayers' Association finds the overtime "completely unbelievable"
Rolf Baron von Hohenau also considers Merkle's demand for overtime payment to be excessive.
The President of the Association of Taxpayers in Bavaria says: "These ancient overtime hours sound completely unbelievable to me." According to him, for occupational safety reasons alone, the city of Augsburg should have ensured that Merkle "does not work more than ten hours a day".
The incumbent mayor of Augsburg, Eva Weber (CSU), also commented on the matter.
"I can understand that in the public discussion the payment of overtime by a speaker, especially with reference to the years 1994 to 2008, seems strange," she said, noting that the Swabian government was already examining the case.
Merkle himself has not yet commented on the public.
(kuc)
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