137. Which court has jurisdiction in Germany over disputes in the field of employment?

Answer options

1. the family court
2. the criminal court
3. the labour court
4. the local court

Explanation

Jurisdiction lies with the specialized labour courts under the Labour Court Act (Arbeitsgerichtsgesetz, ArbGG), especially §§ 2 and 2a, covering both individual and collective labour disputes (e.g., from employment contracts, collective agreements, and works-constitution matters). The system has three tiers (Arbeitsgerichte, Landesarbeitsgerichte, Federal Labour Court in Erfurt) and adjudicates in mixed chambers comprising one professional judge and lay judges from employer and employee sides, reflecting institutionalized social partnership. This special subject-matter jurisdiction excludes ordinary civil/criminal and family courts and gives effect to the guarantees of effective legal protection (Art. 19(4) Basic Law) and the right to the lawful judge (Art. 101(1) second sentence). Historically it continues the Weimar-era labour judiciary and the Reich Labour Court; the modern framework was consolidated by the 1953/1979 ArbGG.