Overview
- The government’s draft would let retirees in employment earn up to €2,000 per month tax‑free, structured as a tax bonus rather than an additional pension payment.
- Eligibility is restricted to workers in social‑security‑covered jobs, excluding the self‑employed, entrepreneurs, freelancers, farmers and civil servants.
- Officials argue the selective design directs relief to sectors facing staffing gaps and keeps the fiscal cost contained.
- Legal commentary, citing a 2014 Federal Constitutional Court standard on subsidies, suggests challenges from excluded groups are unlikely to succeed.
- The bill has its first Bundestag reading today, with fast follow‑up votes planned to enable year‑end implementation and a two‑year evaluation that could revisit scope.