Duisburg, July 22, 2026
A 62-year-old vocational school teacher from the greater Duisburg area was on continuous sick leave for almost 17 years since 2009, even though, according to findings by investigators, she allegedly worked on the side and pocketed prize money; she is now fighting her retirement before the Administrative Court of Düsseldorf.
The teacher worked between 2003 and 2009 at the Berufskolleg Wesel in North Rhine-Westphalia. Afterwards, she continuously submitted sick notes due to a psychological ailment, as "Bild" reports. She was supposed to be transferred to another school by 2017, but she did not teach herself for almost 17 years.
Background and sick notes
Despite her long absence, she continued to receive salary according to the pay scale between 5,051 and 6,174 euros per month. According to a "Spiegel" report, a search of her apartment uncovered "potentially evidentiary material" in the form of several data carriers, whose evaluation is ongoing.
In March 2026, the apartment of the vocational school teacher was searched. Also in March 2026, the Duisburg public prosecutor's office initiated investigations. However, the criminal allegations relate solely to the years between 2021 and 2025.