Business · Companies · 9 hrs ago
VW ordered to pay former manager about €300,000 in back wages
A Braunschweig labor court ordered Volkswagen to pay a former manager about €300,000 in back wages for roughly a year.
The case is one of two involving senior managers who say they were treated unfairly after reporting suspected problems.
VW dismissed the manager over alleged unauthorized sharing of internal reports about its Crafter and Grand California models with media and public bodies.
The court had already ruled that the immediate dismissal was late, while the ordinary termination was valid.
The company must pay the wage difference caused by the late immediate dismissal, and the court also rejected VW’s request for about €380,000 in legal costs.
A similar ruling in September awarded the other manager about €200,000.
VW disputes the decision and plans to seek review by the labor court in Hanover.
A labor court in Braunschweig ordered Volkswagen to pay a dismissed former manager about €300,000 in back wages for roughly a year.
The court said the company must pay the difference between the pay due after immediate dismissal and the pay due after ordinary dismissal.
Volkswagen had dismissed the manager over allegations that he shared internal information with media and public bodies.
The company said it disagreed with the ruling and plans to seek a review by the State Labor Court in Hanover.
The two managers say they were pressured and treated unfairly after reporting alleged wrongdoing.
- Who
- Volkswagen and a dismissed former manager.
- What
- A labor court ordered Volkswagen to pay about €300,000 in back wages.
- When
- The ruling was reported on November 6, 2026.
- Where
- The Labor Court in Braunschweig, Germany.
- Why
- The court said the manager was owed the pay difference because the immediate dismissal was not timely; Volkswagen had accused him of improperly sharing internal information.
Volkswagen
The managers
Dismissal
Volkswagen
Volkswagen said the manager improperly disclosed internal audit reports about the Crafter and Grand California models to media and public bodies, constituting a serious breach of duty.
The managers
The managers invoked Germany’s whistleblower protection law and said they had reported alleged wrongdoing internally and later externally.
Back wages
Volkswagen
Volkswagen disagreed with the court’s decision and plans to seek a review.
The managers
The court ordered Volkswagen to pay the manager about €300,000 for roughly a year.
The labor court awarded the second manager about €200,000 in back pay.
The labor court in Braunschweig ordered Volkswagen to pay the other manager about €300,000 in back wages.
Volkswagen said it would seek a review by the State Labor Court in Hanover.
- Back pay ordered
- About €300,000
- Period covered
- About one year
- Court
- Labor Court in Braunschweig
- Other manager’s award
- About €200,000 in September
- Planned review
- State Labor Court in Hanover
What people are saying
Volkswagen expressly disagrees with the labor court’s view.