{"id":5791,"date":"2021-09-21T09:24:51","date_gmt":"2021-09-21T09:24:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mth-partner.de\/?p=5791"},"modified":"2025-07-13T15:21:26","modified_gmt":"2025-07-13T15:21:26","slug":"arbeitsrecht-verweigerung-des-tragens-eines-mund-nasen-schutzes-fuehrt-zur-ausserordentlichen-kuendigung","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mth-partner.de\/en\/labour-law-refusal-to-wear-a-face-mask-leads-to-extraordinary-dismissal\/","title":{"rendered":"Labour law: Refusal to wear a face mask leads to extraordinary dismissal"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cologne Labour Court, judgment of 17.06.2021, ref. no.: 12 Ca 450\/21<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/span>Facts<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

<\/span>Employee and employer argue about the existence of the employment relationship.<\/span><\/h3>\n

The plaintiff has been employed by the defendant for more than 5 years. He looks after customers for the defendant as a service technician in the field. Since April 2020, all field service employees have been required to wear a mask when attending customer appointments. During a customer appointment, the plaintiff did not wear a mask, even after being asked to do so by a customer employee. Instead, the employee said that he would not carry out the order while wearing a mask.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Employee claims \"snot rag exemption\" from his employer<\/span><\/h3>\n

A short time later, the plaintiff sent the defendant an email with the subject \"snot flap exemption\", in which he attached a six-month-old certificate of exemption from the mask requirement due to \"medical reasons\". In a reply, the defendant instructed the plaintiff to wear the face mask anyway, as the information in the certificate seemed too imprecise, and offered an examination by the company doctor, which the plaintiff refused. The plaintiff later sent another letter to the defendant in which he provided information about his state of health.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Employer cancels due to refusal to wear the mask<\/span><\/h3>\n

This was followed by a hearing of the works council with the content of the plaintiff's intended dismissal. The defendant then dismissed the plaintiff for cause and, alternatively, with notice.<\/p>\n

The plaintiff filed an action for protection against dismissal against this with the Cologne Labour Court. The plaintiff applied for a declaration as to whether the termination of the employment relationship was effective for cause or with due notice and applied for continued employment under the previous employment contract conditions.<\/p>\n

The defendant applied for the claim to be dismissed, citing the Corona Protection Ordinance and noting doubts about the authenticity of the certificate. The plaintiff's behaviour was a financial and unjustifiable liability risk for the company if the employment relationship were to continue until the end of the notice period.<\/p>\n

<\/span>The employer did not conduct a social selection process.<\/span><\/h2>\n

<\/span>Labour court rules in favour of the defendant company.<\/span><\/h3>\n

The Cologne Labour Court dismissed the action on the grounds that it was unfounded. The Dismissal Protection Act was applicable to the employment relationship. However, the employment relationship could be terminated without notice for good cause. Good cause exists if the employee breaches a primary obligation, but this must be considered on a case-by-case basis. Extraordinary dismissal can only be considered if the employer cannot reasonably be expected to take all milder measures in view of the overall circumstances. An extraordinary termination is ineffective if a ordinary cancellation<\/a> had been suitable. In the opinion of the court, the extraordinary termination by the defendant was effective. The plaintiff's behaviour constituted a breach of the principal obligation.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Employee's behaviour poses an unreasonable risk to the company<\/span><\/h3>\n

The risk of infection by the plaintiff for potential customers was unreasonable for the defendant, also with regard to the possible subsequent liability claims against the defendant. Even taking into account the submitted six-month-old certificate, which did not even contain a clear justification, the risk of continuing to employ the plaintiff was unreasonable in the opinion of the court. According to a Warning letter<\/a> the plaintiff again did not wear a face mask during his work.<\/p>\n

The court's overall assessment also took into account the duration of employment and the circumstances of the plaintiff's life, but the consideration was serious due to the risk of the current epidemic situation and the protection against possible infection by the plaintiff was more serious. Consequently, the claim for continued employment was unfounded due to the effective termination of the employment relationship. Do you need Labour law advice<\/a>? Get in touch with us!<\/p>\n

Source: Employment Court Cologne<\/p>\n

Important Note: The content of this article has been prepared to the best of our knowledge and belief. However, due to the complexity and constant evolution of the subject matter, we must exclude liability and warranty.<\/strong> Important Note: The content of this article has been prepared to the best of our knowledge and understanding. However, due to the complexity and ever-changing nature of legal matters, liability and warranty are excluded.<\/p>\n

If you need legal advice, feel free to contact us at 0221-80187670 or via email at If you require legal advice, feel free to call us at 0221 \u2013 80187670 or send us an email at If you need employment law advice, feel free to call us at 0221 \u2013 80187670 or send an email to info@mth-partner.de...<\/p>\n

Lawyers in Cologne advise and represent you in labour law<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Cologne Labour Court has ruled that an employee who refuses to wear a face mask in the field may be dismissed.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":11618,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[2989],"class_list":["post-5791","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arbeitsrecht-rechtsanwalt","tag-aufhebungsvertrag-oder-besser-kuendigung"],"yoast_head":"\nArbeitsrecht: Verweigerung des Tragens eines Mund-Nasen-Schutzes f\u00fchrt zur au\u00dferordentlichen K\u00fcndigung - Rechtsanwaltskanzlei\u00a0Tieben<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In bestimmten F\u00e4llen kann die Weigerung, einen Munschutz wegen Corona zu tragen, zur arbeitsrechtlichen K\u00fcndigung f\u00fchren.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link 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