DUSSELDORF (dpa): A disciplinary procedure has been initiated in western Germany against a teacher who has been on sick leave for more than 15 years.
The western city of Dusseldorf has opened proceedings against the teacher, a spokesman for the education ministry in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia confirmed to dpa on Saturday.
The teacher's case became public through a legal dispute. In mid-August, the Higher Administrative Court of North Rhine-Westphalia ruled that the teacher could be examined by a medical officer.
This confirmed the state's position, which, as the woman's employer, ordered the examination in April to determine whether the civil servant was fit to return to work.
The woman had taken the matter to the Dusseldorf Administrative Court, arguing that ordering a psychological examination after so many years was incomprehensible and would infringe on her personal rights.
However, the court rejected her arguments, and the decision was later upheld.
The woman has not worked since 2009.
According to her initial sick notes, she suffered from psychological issues. She continued to submit sick notes over the years without the state government taking any steps to get her back to work or figure out what the problem was.
