Teachers working overtime: union rejects accusations

Court of Auditors criticizes handling of remuneration for overtime

On Thursday, the Court of Auditors claimed that Saxony has been paying its teachers for every additional lesson since 2017 via a special regulation. However, there is no uniform recording of working hours for teachers. Expenditure for this remuneration had risen from just under 600,000 euros (2016) to 9.8 million euros in 2016. Nevertheless, there has been a 68% increase in lost teaching time over the same period.

The Court of Auditors failed to understand that the majority of teachers' overtime is not paid anyway, as it takes place outside of lessons, the GEW now argued. "Instead of raising suspicions, the State Court of Audit would do well to add up the daily unpaid overtime worked by teachers. These arise, for example, from administrative and correction work, lesson preparation and follow-up, classroom management, work with parents or diagnostic activities and are not compensated either financially or in terms of time," explained GEW boss Maaß.