Inclusion

Tasks

The representative of people with disabilities promotes the actual integration of employees with (severe) disabilities in the workplace. Their counselling services and responsibilities include:

• supporting people with (severe) disabilities, in particular also with regard to preventive measures and applying for them from the relevant bodies, for example the employer, the Integration Office or Job Centre (Arbeitsamt),
• taking receipt of suggestions and complaints from people with (severe) disabilities. The representative for people with disabilities then negotiates with the employer on measures to be implemented and informs those affected about the status and outcome of the negotiations,
• monitoring compliance with applicable laws for people with (severe) disabilities. Therefore, all laws, ordinances, collective agreements, works or service agreements and administrative orders, in particular also the employer’s obligations under Sections 154, 155 and 164 to 167 of the Ninth Book of the Social Code (SGB IX).

Representative of people with disabilities in higher education

The representative of people with disabilities in higher education offers a counselling service. You will find the most recent information under Commissioners and Representatives.

Tasks

The representative of people with disabilities promotes the actual integration of employees with (severe) disabilities in the workplace. Their counselling services and responsibilities include:

• supporting people with (severe) disabilities, in particular also with regard to preventive measures and applying for them from the relevant bodies, for example the employer, the Integration Office or Job Centre (Arbeitsamt),
• taking receipt of suggestions and complaints from people with (severe) disabilities. The representative for people with disabilities then negotiates with the employer on measures to be implemented and informs those affected about the status and outcome of the negotiations,
• monitoring compliance with applicable laws for people with (severe) disabilities. Therefore, all laws, ordinances, collective agreements, works or service agreements and administrative orders, in particular also the employer’s obligations under Sections 154, 155 and 164 to 167 of the Ninth Book of the Social Code (SGB IX).

Representative of people with disabilities in the Medizinische Fakultät (Faculty of Medicine)

You will find the most recent information on the representative of people with disabilities in the Medizinische Fakultät (Faculty of Medicine) under Commissioners and Representatives.

The psychosocial counselling service offers employees of Leipzig University support when faced with challenging life or work situations. This includes, for example:

• mental strain or stress,
• family-related problems,
• disagreements or conflicts with colleagues or superiors,
• depression, anxiety or worries
• sexualised discrimination or violence,
• problems with alcohol, drugs or other addictions, or
• difficulties caused by mental illness.

Contact

Christiane Bach
Goethestraße 6 | Raum 743
04109 Leipzig

Nora Schuhmann
Goethestraße 6 | Raum 743
04109 Leipzig

Send EMAIL

Flexitime arrangement

In order to provide employees working in the administrative facilities with flexible working hours and to facilitate a family-friendly organisation of their working life, Leipzig University's non-academic staff are entitled to a flexitime employment agreement. This allows employees to work within a general time frame of Monday to Friday from 6am to 10pm. This facilitates family-friendly scheduling, for example with regard to committee work and networking.

Mobile working

Employees have the option to work flexibly outside Leipzig University at a location of their choice. This is to make it easier to combine caring for children and relatives, disabilities or chronic illnesses, and reintegration into the workplace with employees’ responsibilities at the university. Prerequisites include suitable work assignments, a mobile workplace, application and approval by the head of the department. You will find all the necessary information, contacts and application forms on the intranet.

According to Section 2(1) of Book IX of the German Social Code (SGB IX), people with disabilities are defined as those who have physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments that are likely to prevent them from participating in society on an equal basis with others for a period of more than six months. The effects of the impairment are formulated as a degree of disability (Grad der Behinderung, GdB) in degrees of ten from 20 to 100. There are nationwide guidelines to determine the degree of disability, known as the Versorgungsmedizinische Grundsätze (principles of medical care). The decisive factor is an overall assessment of the actual impairment. Multiple GdB values are not aggregated.

Severe disability

People with a degree of disability (GdB) of at least 50 are deemed to be severely disabled. In this case, the person concerned is entitled to a severely disabled person's ID card. This can be applied for from the Versorgungsamt (pensions office) responsible in the City or district of Leipzig, where the individual GdB will be verified. For further information, visit einfach-teilhaben.de.

Equality

If the degree of disability (GdB) has been applied for at the Versorgungsamt (pensions office) and is minimum 30 but less than 50, it is possible to have equal status with people with severe disabilities. The Agentur für Arbeit (employment agency) is responsible for this. To apply for this status, the decision of the Versorgungsamt must be submitted to the Agentur für Arbeit at the applicant’s place of residence together with the corresponding application form requesting equal status. For further information, visit einfach-teilhaben.de.

Liability notice

This information is not a substitute for legal advice. Individual advice is provided by the representative of people with disabilities in higher education and the representative of people with disabilities in the Faculty of Medicine. No liability is assumed for the accuracy, completeness and currency of the information. No liability is assumed for the content of external links. The operators of the sites to which links are provided are exclusively responsible for their content (as at: February 2020).

Job interview and notification of severe disability or equal status

When applying for a job, it is generally inadmissible to ask about a severe disability if the disability is irrelevant for the performance of the intended task. In principle, there is also no obligation to disclose a severe disability in an existing employment relationship. Asking about a severe disability or equal status or an application made in this respect may be permissible in an existing employment relationship after six months so that the employer can, for example, comply with their duties of care under the Social Code. Leipzig University may be notified of a severe disability or equal status by the person responsible for the matter.

Employment relationship

Severely disabled employees are entitled to the following from Leipzig University

• employment in which they can apply and develop their skills and knowledge to the fullest extent possible,
• preferential consideration in inhouse professional training measures to further their career development,
• to make it easier to participate in external professional training courses to an extent that can reasonably be expected.

Exemption from overtime

Severely disabled employees and employees of equal status shall be exempted from overtime at their request. Overtime is work that exceeds the normal statutory working time of eight hours per working day.

Retirement pension for the severely disabled

People with severe disabilities may be entitled to receive a retirement pension earlier than normal for up to five years. However, this may be accompanied by substantial deductions.

Additional paid leave

Employees with severe disabilities are entitled to additional paid leave equivalent to one working week. The actual amount of additional leave depends on the employee's regular working hours per week. Employees with a degree of disability (GdB) under 50 and equal status employees are not entitled to additional leave.

Prevention

Should difficulties arise in the work or employment relationship of employees with severe disabilities or employees with equal status that present a risk to the job in question, public-sector institutions are required to implement a prevention procedure. The purpose of the prevention procedure is to discuss all of the options available to resolve the difficulties together with the employees' representatives and the Integration Office. The objective is to maintain the employment relationship for as long as possible, for example, by providing counselling or support services.

Liability notice

This information is not a substitute for legal advice. Individual advice is provided by the representative of people with disabilities in higher education and the representative of people with disabilities in the Faculty of Medicine. No liability is assumed for the accuracy, completeness and currency of the information. No liability is assumed for the content of external links. The operators of the sites to which links are provided are exclusively responsible for their content (as at: February 2020).

Technical assistive equipment for people with disabilities can further existing skills, strengthen residual skills, while simultaneously protecting them. They can likewise partially compensate for special skills. The objective of their employment is to enable people with certain disabilities to perform their tasks in the first place or to ease the execution of certain tasks, i.e. to reduce workloads and ensure occupational safety. Technical assistive equipment consists either of personal aids (e.g. orthopaedic safety shoes) or mobile technical aids (e.g. sitting aids, lifting devices, software, screen readers or one-handed keyboards) that compensate for disadvantages caused by disability while performing a task. Employees with a disability or an equal status must apply to the relevant cost unit for reimbursement of the costs of appropriate assistive equipment before it is purchased.

Requirements

The right point of contact depends on individual requirements:

• Employees who depend on special aids and technical devices to perform their jobs because of their disability can apply to the German pension scheme (Deutsche Rentenversicherung) if they have reached the age of 28 and paid contributions to the German pension scheme for more than 180 months (15 years). According to Deutsche Rentenversicherung, it does not cover the costs of ergonomic workplace equipment, such as a height-adjustable desk or office chair.
• Employees with a disability or at risk of becoming disabled can apply to the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency, rehabilitation team) if they have paid fewer than 180 months of contributions into the German pension insurance scheme.
• Employees with a disability or those of equal status can apply to the Integrationsamt (integration office) (Hauptfürsorgestelle, Kommunaler Sozialverband Sachsen) if they have a disabled person's ID card and new equipment or replacements are required. As a general rule, funding is provided for a recognised degree of disability of 50 per cent or higher.
• The statutory accident insurance provider is in charge of accidents at work and on the way to and from work.

Documents required

In order to apply, you will need the following documents:

• Application form from Deutsche Rentenversicherung, Agentur für Arbeit, Integrationsamt or Unfallversicherung (accident insurance);
• Doctor's certificate or hospital discharge report; possibly with a recommendation from a doctor regarding the necessary assistive equipment;
• Cost estimate from a specialist retailer.

Duration of process

Sections 14 and 15 of Book IX of the Social Code (SGB IX) contain provisions on the duration of processes and responsibilities. The following applies where only one rehabilitation provider is responsible for the service:

• within two weeks of receipt of the completed application, the rehabilitation provider must determine if it is responsible or forward the application to the appropriate provider. The latter may thereafter no longer pass the application on to another provider even if it is not responsible and must reach a decision on the benefits claimed.
• the rehabilitation provider decides on the specific rehabilitation requirements and the necessary assistance within three weeks of receipt of the application. Should an expert opinion be required, the duration of the process will be extended accordingly.

Deutsche Rentenversicherung

Antrag
PDF, 781KB, Datei ist nicht barrierefrei, Stand 11.03.2019

Anlage (Berufliche Rehabilitation)
PDF, 384KB, Datei ist nicht barrierefrei, Stand 08.03.2018

Anlage (Hilfsmittel und technische Arbeitshilfen)
PDF, 568KB, Datei ist nicht barrierefrei, Stand 11.10.2018

Bundesagentur für Arbeit

Merkblatt 12 – Förderung der Teilhabe am Arbeitsleben

Integrationsamt

Antrag

You will be supported in the application process:

Internal contact points

University Disabled Persons Representative

Disabled Persons Representative, Faculty of Medicine

Occupational Health ManagemenT

Employer’s Representative for Persons with Disabilities

Office for Equality, Diversity and Family Affairs

External contact points

• the specialist integration service,
• the Integration Office,
• the rehabilitation team of the Federal Employment Agency,
• the rehabilitation counselling of the pension or accident insurance,
• the inclusion counselling of the chambers of industry and commerce
• and vocational promotion organisations.

Information flyer (only in German)

Beantragung Technischer Arbeitshilfen
PDF ∙ 279 KB

Beantragung technischer Arbeitshilfen (barrierefrei)
PDF ∙ 134 KB