The year 2025 brought a wide range of employment law decisions with major practical impact. Both the Federal Labor Court and the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) addressed key issues on protection against dismissal, discrimination, equal pay, and participation rights of works councils. These rulings clarify existing standards and set new benchmarks for interpreting employment law rules. This article outlines the central employment law developments of 2025.

Quick Hits

• Germany’s Federal Labor Court ruled in June 2025 that failing to appoint an inclusion officer may indicate discrimination, though it does not automatically constitute discrimination based on disability.
• In April 2025, the Federal Labor Court clarified that an employer does not need to conduct a prevention procedure before giving notice of ordinary termination during the statutory waiting period in cases involving disability.
• In October 2025, the Federal Labor Court decided that employees can claim pay discrimination if they earn less than a single comparable colleague, regardless of the median pay for men and women.

Appointment of an Inclusion Officer as an Indicator of Discrimination

The Federal Labor Court (decision dated June 26, 2025 – Ref. No. 8 AZR 276/24) held that a mere failure to appoint an inclusion officer does not, by itself, constitute discrimination based on disability. However, it may serve as an indication of discrimination. Employers that have not yet made the appointment...

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