We hope you had a good start to 2022. Just like every year, this year will bring new challenges, opportunities and conditions. We have summarised some of the most important changes for 2022 here.
There will be changes for automotive companies in particular in the business and administrative areas in 2022.
New minimum wage
The minimum wage will change in 2022 as part of a two-stage adjustment: With effect from 1 January, it increased from €9.60 per hour to €9.82 per hour. From 1 July 2022, employees must then be paid a minimum wage of €10.45 per hour. The pay for apprentices has also changed: "Training companies are obliged to pay appropriate remuneration to their apprentices," says the sector initiative Quality is added value. "Remuneration must increase as the training progresses - at least once a year. For apprenticeship contracts starting from 1 January 2022, apprentices shall receive a minimum statutory training allowance of €585 for the first year of apprenticeship, €690 in second year, €790 in the third year and €819 in the fourth year."
Digital sick note
Since the beginning of October 2021, medical practices have been able to digitally send sick notes to health insurance companies. Starting on 1 July 2022, employers can also send sick notes to health insurance companies digitally. The new approach is intended to simplify the processes. The yellow note will then no longer be required.
New qualification levels for work on high-voltage vehicles
The qualification levels for work on high-voltage vehicles were revised in July and with an update in August 2021. "There are no fundamental changes," summarises Krafthand. However, terminology has been changed and specified. There are now four new qualification levels: S, 1S, 2S and 3S. In addition, the terms "specialist trained person" (FuP) and "skilled person high-voltage" (FHV) replace previously imprecise designations.
New fines catalogue
The changes in the fines catalogue for drivers, which came into force with some back and forth on 9 November 2021, are also no longer entirely new - and therefore also apply to 2022. Fines for illegal parking and stopping have now noticeably increased. But speed fine in particular have become more expensive: The aim of the reforms is to better protect more vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists. For this reason, exceeding the speed limit is now punished much more severely, especially in inner-city areas. But this doesn't just affect notorious speed limit violators, but also drivers who exceed the speed limit comparatively moderately. Like the author of these lines, just a few days after the new fines catalogue came into force: Late in the evening, travelling at 59 in a 50 km/h limit, hit with a fine of €30. Previously, the fine would have been just €15. That's certainly lining the pockets of the city treasury!
