Labour law: Passive smoking is an important reason that excludes the employment agency's blocking period

Darmstadt Regional Social Court, 11 October 2006, Ref.: L 6 AL 24/05

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The payment of Unemployment benefit may be blocked for a certain period of time due to certain behaviour on the part of the unemployed person. In accordance with § 144 Para. 1 No. 1, Para. 3 SGB III, a Locking period If, among other things, the unemployed person terminates the employment relationship or is replaced by an behaviour contrary to the employment contract has given cause for the termination of the employment relationship and thereby wilfully or through gross negligence caused unemployment.

However, even in these cases, the blocking period only applies if the unemployed person has no good reason for the blocking. Legal advice on tenancy bonds and rent increases had. According to § 144 SGB III, the objective of the suspension period regulation must be taken into account when assessing good cause. Accordingly, a blocking period only occurs if the employee can reasonably be expected to behave differently, taking into account all the circumstances of the individual case and weighing his interests against the interests of the community of insured persons.

FactsThe plaintiff worked in a company in Hesse where employees were allowed to smoke at work. The plaintiff was therefore forced to smoke passively all day. To put an end to this situation, the plaintiff asked his boss to ban smoking in the company. The boss refused and the plaintiff then terminated the employment contract. Employment relationship and applied for unemployment benefit. The Federal Employment Agency then imposed a suspension period in accordance with Section 144 (1, 3) SGB III and stated in the decision that the claimant had caused the unemployment himself and through gross negligence. The claimant was subsequently unsuccessful in the first instance proceedings before the Giessen Social Court.

LSG DarmstadtThe LSG recognised the health risks of passive smoking as an important reason that precludes the imposition of a ban. The judges in Darmstadt therefore declared the judgement of the court of first instance null and void and emphasised in the grounds for the judgement that the intensity of the smoking nuisance was not the decisive factor. Rather, the decisive factor was that the non-smoker had made an emphatic attempt to assert his need for protection in a conversation with his boss prior to his dismissal and that this was refused by his superior.

Source: Darmstadt Regional Social Court

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Helmer Tieben

I am Helmer Tieben, LL.M. (International Tax), a lawyer who has been admitted to the Cologne Bar Association since 2005. I specialise in landlord and tenant law, employment law, migration law and digital law and advise both local and international clients. With a Master's degree from the University of Melbourne and many years of experience in leading law firms, I offer clear and effective legal solutions. You can also contact me via
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