A German teacher is accused of defrauding her college of nearly €250,000 (£209,000) after she allegedly spent 16 years on sick leave while continuing to receive her full salary. The 62-year-old woman, who has not been named, also faces charges of forging two medical certificates to support her claims of being unfit for activities such as scuba diving.
The teacher stopped attending her position at a vocational business college in Wesel, Germany, in 2009, citing chronic illness and psychological issues. Despite this, she reportedly remained on full pay by submitting sick notes, while simultaneously allegedly pursuing a career as a naturopathic healer and entrepreneur selling skin creams.
Ordinarily, an independent medical assessment would be required after three months of leave. However, her leave was allegedly renewed repeatedly for nearly two decades. The discrepancy was discovered in 2024 during an internal audit following a change in management at the Berufskolleg vocational high school, where she had been employed since 2003. The director who took over in 2015 was reportedly unaware of her continued employment.
According to German salary scales cited by Bild, the teacher's monthly earnings ranged between €5,051 (£4,369) and €6,174 (£5,341). Reports also indicate she owns two apartments in Duisburg.
The state of North Rhine-Westphalia, her employer, requested a medical examination to confirm her health status. The teacher initially refused and attempted to take her management to court. However, her appeals were rejected, and the examination is expected to proceed.
Dorothee Feller, the education minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, stated her surprise at the situation, noting it was an unprecedented case. Recovering the funds is expected to be challenging, as proving she intentionally misrepresented her health status after so many years will be difficult. Nevertheless, suspicions persist regarding her alleged inability to work due to her purported naturopathic practice during her extended sick leave.