If you need an ergonomic office chair (such as the Aeris Swopper or Aeris Numo Task ) or a height-adjustable desk for health reasons - for example, due to a herniated disc - there are various ways to obtain financial support.
You can contact your employer directly, apply for a subsidy from your health insurance company or pension insurance provider, or buy the chair or table yourself (after consultation with your employer).
Is my employer required to provide me with an ergonomic office chair or height-adjustable desk?
According to occupational health and safety law, employers are responsible for the health and safety of their employees in the workplace. The law therefore indirectly requires employers to consider ergonomic principles when designing workplaces.
The details are specified in the Workplace Ordinance (ArbStättV).
Section 3, paragraph 1 of the Workplace Ordinance states:
"When setting up and operating workplaces, the employer must implement the measures according to Section 3 Paragraph 1 and take into account the state of the art, occupational medicine and hygiene, ergonomic requirements and in particular the rules and findings published by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs according to Section 7 Paragraph 4."
Experience shows that many employers, as part of their responsibility for the health of their employees and due to the growing importance of active health management in companies, are willing to invest in workplace ergonomics.
Because they know that this increases the performance and motivation of their employees and reduces sick leave and the associated costs.
Therefore, an open conversation with the supervisor is often sufficient to, for example, draw their attention to an existing back problem and ask them to purchase and set up suitable furniture.
Here are some figures that should convince you:
German employees were absent due to illness for an average of 19 days in 2022. Each sick day costs the employer an average of between 400 and 500 euros. Musculoskeletal disorders accounted for 13.7 percent of total absences, ranking third among disease groups in terms of absenteeism (after respiratory diseases and mental health disorders).
Source: TK Health Report 2023
However, if your employer refuses to purchase an ergonomic office chair or desk, you can seek help from various representatives or relevant organizations. These include works councils, company doctors, safety engineers, and occupational safety specialists.
If that doesn't help either, other funding sources will be needed.
The Aeris Numo Task allows for plenty of movement and can therefore prevent back pain.
From which funding bodies can I apply for a subsidy for an ergonomic office chair?
The second option is therefore to submit an application for a subsidy to a funding body.
Under very specific conditions, these companies will cover or subsidize the costs of purchasing an ergonomic office chair or height-adjustable desk for the workplace:
-
German pension insurance
(upon proof of 15 years of compulsory insurance employment or if the office chair is necessary as a medical service for rehabilitation) -
Federal Employment Agency
(in the case of less than 15 years of employment subject to social security contributions) -
Employers' liability insurance associations
(after a work or commuting accident) -
Integration Office
(for civil servants and students) - Health insurance companies
What steps do I need to take when submitting my application?
Here you will find the most important steps.
Example of an application to the pension insurance:
1. Fill out the application form of the cost bearer:
Here e.g. B. www.deutsche-rentenversicherung.de
2. Obtain a medical certificate or discharge report from rehabilitation:
This should make it clear that you can only perform your job with the use of appropriate work equipment.
3. Create a job or activity description:
Provide as much detail as possible so that the need is easily understood.
4. Obtain a cost estimate from a qualified specialist retailer:
Important: Only purchase the ergonomic office chair or desk once the application has been approved! Otherwise, the entitlement will expire.
5. Inform your employer:
Before submitting your application, you should also check whether your employer approves of the chair or table at your workplace.
Because: The employer decides which work equipment is used in their company. In some companies, the company doctor or an ergonomics officer must also give their approval first.
6. Submitting the application:
Once that's clarified, simply submit all the documents and then wait for a response. Patience is required now, as the answer may take several months.
Tip: This should be included in the specialist's certificate:
The treating physician must certify in a medical report that the purchase of an ergonomic office chair is " essential and absolutely necessary " to " maintain occupational capacity and health " or to " enable successful rehabilitation back into working life " if a rehabilitation program has been completed. If you participated in rehabilitation, this information should be included in your discharge report.
Furthermore, the certificate must contain a description of the chair's functions that is as detailed as possible, such as: The office chair must be "freely movable in all directions to promote active, dynamic sitting ." The office chair should " adapt to the body's movements, " etc.
The more accurate the information, the clearer and more comprehensible the application is for the case worker.
Subsidies for an ergonomic office chair can be applied for, for example, at the German Pension Insurance or health insurance company.
Which costs can be covered by the German pension insurance?
The German pension insurance grants a subsidy of up to €1,305 for an ergonomic office chair.
The German Pension Insurance officially discontinued its support for the purchase of height-adjustable desks in 2018, arguing that the employer is primarily responsible for the purchase of height-adjustable desks.
Tip: Health insurance companies are not legally obligated to subsidize ergonomic office furniture and should therefore be considered a last resort. However, some health insurance companies have a list of assistive devices they do subsidize. Check if an ergonomic office chair or height-adjustable desk is included. If so, your chances of a positive response are good.
What should I do if the application is rejected?
If your application is approved, you can purchase the chair and simply submit the invoice to your health insurance provider, who will then reimburse you up to the maximum amount. The office chair then becomes your property, and you can take it with you if you change jobs.
If your employer covers part of the costs, you must reach an agreement with them if you change jobs.
If your application for funding for an ergonomic office chair is rejected, you have the option to appeal within 14 days.
Often, the doctor's certificate is too vague. A "recommendation for an orthopedic office chair for back support," for example, isn't always sufficient. Sometimes certain information is missing, which you can easily submit to the pension insurance provider promptly. Be persistent!
The costs for ergonomic office furniture can be deducted from taxes.
What if I buy myself an ergonomic office chair?
Then you can deduct the costs from your taxes.
There are several options for this:
Immediate deduction
You can fully deduct office chairs with a purchase price of up to €800 in the year of purchase. Simply enter the entire invoice amount as business expenses in your income tax return (Schedule N).
Important: The office chair may then only be used for professional purposes.
For this to have a positive effect on your tax return, your total advertising expenses must exceed the annual flat-rate allowance of 1000 euros for advertising expenses.
Standard depreciation over a useful life of 13 years
You can always depreciate the cost of the office chair (no matter how much it cost) over 13 years (according to the depreciation table of the Federal Ministry of Finance).
However, this depreciation method is mandatory for purchase prices of €1,000.01 or more (€800.01 or more for employees).
Formation of collective items/pool depreciation
If the purchase price of the office chair is between €250.01 and €1,000, freelancers, self-employed persons, tradespeople and entrepreneurs also have the option of forming collective items/pool depreciation in accordance with Section 6 Paragraph 2a of the German Income Tax Act (EStG) .
All purchases within this price range are grouped together in a collective item and depreciated linearly at 20 percent over 5 years.
This form of depreciation is particularly worthwhile for items whose average useful life exceeds 5 years, e.g., office furniture with 13 years.
If you choose pooled depreciation, all products will be included. A combination of immediate expensing and pooled depreciation in the same year is not possible. You can decide each year which depreciation method is more advantageous for you.
Tip: The same limits and deadlines apply to all office furniture such as tables, cabinets, armchairs and shelves as to office chairs.
Detailed information on how you can deduct your home office and desk chair from your taxes can be found in our magazine article " Deducting home office expenses for tax purposes: Here's how ".
Disclaimer:
Please note that we are not authorized to provide tax or legal advice, and this information does not constitute tax or legal advice. It is merely general information about the products we offer, which must be adapted to the specific circumstances of each individual case and evaluated from a tax and legal perspective. Please seek advice tailored to your individual situation from your tax or legal advisor before making any decisions regarding issues arising in connection with our products. We assume no liability.
