Source: whistleblower-net.de
A German Labour Court has dismissed one of the first major cases brought under the country’s whistleblower protection (Hinweisgeberschutzgesetz – HinSchG) – 2023 law transposing the EU Whistleblowing Directive.
A German Court has dismissed the lawsuit of two whistleblowers against Volkswagen (VW) due to the timing of their reports.
On 24 June 2025, the Labour Court in Braunschweig rejected a claim by two Volkswagen managers who alleged retaliation after internally reporting health and safety breaches.
The claimants argued that their disclosures, about carcinogenic substances and incomplete documentation led to professional disadvantages – including denied promotions and sough compensation under HinSchG. The court ruled the case inadmissible, finding that the whistleblower reports were made before the Act entered into force on 2 July 2023, and thus fell outside its scope.
The ruling has drawn national attention as the first test case under the new whistleblower protection law. According to Annegret Falter, Chair of Whistleblower-Netzwerk e.V., “Two years after the Whistleblower Protection Act came into force, there is still a lack of court decisions that provide clarity on central issues. The VW case shows how urgently the law must be amended.”
Relevant Links:
- For more information, read a summary of the whole case here.
- Find the full text of the law, HinSchG – Act for better protection of whistleblowers
- See a timeline on The path to the Whistleblower Protection Act – Whistleblower Network