Process over bonuses: VW demands thousands of euros from loyal employees

Wolfsburg (Lower Saxony) – Are the most loyal employees of the troubled company now left behind? Several of them are suing VW because they should pay back the bonuses for their decades of service.

Before the State Labor Court of Lower Saxony In Hanover on Friday it’s all about bonuses for the 25th and 35th company anniversaries, which Volkswagen is demanding back from the employees. The legal dispute was triggered by a new version of the collective agreement signed on January 21, 2025, which came into force retroactively on January 1 of the same year. There are no longer any regulations regarding loyalty bonuses. And lower special anniversary payments were provided for in the collective wage agreements signed at the same time.

VW wants four to five-digit amounts back

In December 2024 the Volkswagen AG, based in Wolfsburg, still paid anniversary bonuses to employees who were hired in January 1990 or January 2000 according to the old tariff. The state labor court: “VW AG informed the plaintiffs after payment of the age control Calculated anniversary bonus stated that it was based on the new regulations and that the difference had to be paid back to you.” In some cases it was worth more than 10,000 euros.

Some plaintiffs complied with the request, but then demanded repayment. Employees who were hired on January 1, 1990 or 2000 already received justice before the Braunschweig Labor Court. However, colleagues who came to the company between January 2nd and 21st of the years in question received nothing. Her appeal before the LAG is directed against this. Your accusation: The company wants to save millions at the expense of long-term employees. For the process Several days of negotiations are scheduled.