Brandi’s Future Husband Fights In German Court

This week Brandi's Future Husband is:

• From Germany, Brandi loves German food & wine
• One to stick up for himself
• Recently in receipt of an additional $412, that he just might need help spending

A German court says a municipal bus mechanic (not sure of his name, so we will refer to him as Klaus) can have hundreds of euros (dollars) in back pay for time spent changing into his work clothes — but not for time he spent showering.

Let's explain, the labor court in Duesseldorf said that "Klaus" and the local bus company in Oberhausen were able to reach a settlement Monday that will see him get 375 euros ($412) to cover the 10 minutes per day that he spent changing into and out of his uniform over a seven-month period last year. The plaintiff also had sought to be paid for a daily 10 minutes spent in the shower after work, But the court questioned whether that could be counted as time on the job and also wondered "whether 10 minutes is not too long for a shower."

"Klaus" has spent the last 20 years working for this company, and had always received a small financial allotment for washing his work clothes at home. Seven months ago, the company found that they could save money by out sourcing all of the laundry. "Klaus" then argued that he should be compensated for the time it takes to change in and out of his uniform and the time it takes him to shower before he puts his personal clothes back on at the end of the day. The time involved he feels is 20 minutes per day.

The German court ruled that he was entitled to the money for the time it took him to change in and out of his uniform, but not for the time it took him to shower, $412.