COVID-19 quarantine: EU Judgment in Case C-206/22 Sparkasse Südpfalz

Thursday 14th December 2023

Judgment in Case C-206/22 Sparkasse Südpfalz

(Social policy)

This case arises in the context of a dispute between a citizen (claimant) and their employer, Sparkasse Südpfalz. The dispute in question relates to the claimant’s annual leave entitlements remaining after having to quarantine due to COVID-19 during their planned annual leave.

Communications Directorate Press and Information unit curia.europa.eu

The person had been employed by the Sparkasse since 2013 as a private customer advisor and works full time. The collective agreement for the civil service in the savings bank sector applies to his employment contract.

The Sparkasse granted the claimant leave from 3 to 11 December 2020.

By letter dated 2 December 2020, the Germersheim District Administration in Germany decided to place the claimant in quarantine in accordance with national regulations in the context of the pandemic linked to COVID-19 between 2 and 11 December 2020, as the claimant had been a close contact with a colleague who had tested positive for COVID-19.

The claimant spent the quarantine period in the bedroom and bathroom of his home in order to avoid contaminating other members of his family. The claimant is requesting that the Sparkasse deduct the days of quarantine from his annual leave.

The national court seeks to ascertain whether the Working Time Directive and the EU Charter on Fundamental Rights precludes national provisions or practices under which the right to leave is also enforced in a situation in which the worker is affected by an unforeseeable event, such as an official quarantine measure, which prevents the unrestricted exercise of the right to leave.

Background Documents C-206/22

Urteil des Gerichtshofs in der Rechtssache C‑206/22 Sparkasse Südpfalz

Quarantänepflicht während des Urlaubs

Ein Arbeitnehmer der Sparkasse Südpfalz musste im Kontext der Covid-19-Pandemie während seines Urlaubs unerwartet in Quarantäne.

Das Arbeitsgericht Ludwigshafen am Rhein möchte vom Gerichtshof wissen, ob das Unionsrecht dem entgegensteht, dass der Urlaubsanspruch auch dann als verbraucht gilt, wenn der Arbeitnehmer während eines genehmigten Urlaubs von einem unvorhersehbaren Ereignis (Quarantäne) betroffen ist.

Generalanwalt Pikamäe hat das in seinen Schlussanträgen vom 4. Mai 2023 verneint.

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