Host Nation Update, Sept. 27, 2022
COVID rules, minimum wage and mini-jobs – These are the changes in October
For many employees, October will bring an increase in pay: the minimum wage will rise to 12 euros per hour. Those who have a mini-job will be allowed to earn more. At the same time, consumers will have to meet new obligations. An overview.
COVID rules:
New COVID rules will apply from October. FFP2 masks will be mandatory in clinics, nursing homes and doctors’ offices throughout Germany. Masks will also be mandatory on long-distance trains, although a simple surgical mask will suffice for children. In airplanes, masks are no longer mandatory. In nursing homes and clinics, a negative test must also be presented before entry. The individual States can also make masks mandatory on local trains and buses, and in indoor areas such as stores and restaurants, but they do not have to. Those who present a negative test must be exempt from such a requirement in restaurants and at events. Tests may be mandatory at schools and daycare centers. Mandatory masking is possible from grade five. If the infection situation worsens, the states can impose further requirements by passing a resolution in the state parliament. These include, for example, upper limits for visitors to events in closed rooms.
Minimum wage
The statutory minimum wage will rise to 12 euros per hour on October 1 from the previous level of 10.45 euros. Since 2015, the minimum wage has thus risen by more than 40 percent.
Minijobs
In parallel with the increase in the minimum wage, the remuneration limit for mini-jobs, for which no taxes or social security contributions are due, will be raised. The maximum monthly amount will be 520 euros from October.
Gas levy
The federal government actually planned to impose a levy of 2.4 cents per kilowatt hour on all gas consumers starting in October to support importers. Some of them have run into difficulties due to a lack of gas supplies from Russia. However, the measure is uncertain: Coalition politicians have announced that the levy will not come.
Value-added tax on gas
In order to relieve consumers from skyrocketing energy costs, the value-added tax on natural gas is expected to drop from 19 to 7 percent on Oct. 1. The Bundestag plans to vote on this on Friday.
Heating
Building owners with gas heating systems will be required to inspect their heating systems to save energy. The regulation comes into force on October 1 and is valid for two years.
Cannstatt Folk Festival – American soldiers at the beer maneuver
Soldiers drinking in uniform. Who invented it? The German armed forces. The soldiers set the trend umpteen years ago: People go to the Wasen in a uniform look. Some in lederhosen, others in NATO olive. On Monday, the Volksfest grounds was one of the safest places in the world. 2000 soldiers marched in line. The brewery Fürstenberg had invited the Bundeswehr traditionally in the festival tent of Peter Brandl, soldiers from southern Germany, the Bundeswehr, as well as soldiers from France and the USA also joined in the celebration. They immediately demonstrated their combat readiness, as only (chicken) bones remained of the enemies. (Stuttgarter Nachrichten, Sep 27)
Opening hours
The Cannstatter Volksfest takes place from September 23 to October 9. The opening hours are as follows:
The opening hours are:
- Monday to Thursday 12 to 11 p.m.
- Friday 12 p.m. to midnight
- Saturday 11 a.m. to midnight
- Sunday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Special opening hours:
- Sunday, 2 October , 12 p.m. to midnight.
- Monday, 3 October, 11 a.m to 11 p.m.
Which attractions will be canceled this winter due to the energy crisis in Stuttgart?
Will Winter 2022 fall into gloom and doom in the face of the energy crisis? “People need a sign of confidence,” states Finance Minister Danyal Bayaz. Having already given the green light a few days ago for the Christmas Garden at the Wilhelma (Zoo), the Green politician is now pleased to have reached an agreement with the city on Monday regarding the Ferris wheel for Schlossplatz. The attraction will be allowed to be set up in the Ehrenhof for the second time this year. Glossy lights and ice skating rink, on the other hand, are canceled to be able to save energy. “In place of the ice skating rink, there will the Historic Folk Festival ride “Politics is in a dilemma,” one has to be a role model to save energy, but on the other hand, one should fulfill people’s longing for a normal life and Christmas spirit. However, if there is a “blackout” in the winter, in terms of energy, it would be necessary to discuss again, he said. “What is clear is that the energy for the industry must be secured,” explains the minister. (Stuttgarter Nachrichten, Sep 27)
Böblingen: The next closure follows – Leibnizstrasse closed until October 10
Böblingen/Sindelfingen. The next construction work with accompanying detour will begin on Sunday, barely after the closure of the Autobahn has been lifted. The off-ramp and on-ramp between Sindelfinger Straße and Leibnizstraße are also being rebuilt as part of the Autobahn expansion project. For this purpose, this ramp area will have to be closed to traffic from Sunday, September 25, until probably Monday, October 10.
From Sunday to Monday, October 10, the Autobahn junction Böblingen Ost can be reached from Sindelfinger Straße via Friedrich-List- , Stuttgarter Straße and Friedrich-Gerstlacher-Straße. (BB.heute.de, Sep 26)