Lack of Retirement Benefits for Justice System Personnel - Lack of increments in judicial retiree benefits or pension surge within the judiciary sphere
No Pension Wave in Schleswig-Holstein's Justice System
The justice system in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, is not experiencing a "pension wave" as some may have feared. This is due to the proactive measures taken by the Ministry of Justice to manage recruitment and retain staff, ensuring the stability and efficiency of the system.
According to Minister Kerstin von der Decken (CDU), the number of departures in the judicial and public prosecution areas will remain relatively stable until 2030. By this year, it is expected that 224 employees in the service units will retire, with 73 judges and 20 public prosecutors among them. However, the ministry is taking steps to address these retirements and attract new applicants.
One of the strategies being implemented is early and ongoing recruitment campaigns to ensure a steady influx of new candidates. The ministry is also offering attractive career opportunities and professional development to retain staff. Close monitoring of workforce demographics allows the ministry to anticipate retirement trends and address staffing needs in advance.
These proactive measures are designed to prevent a disruptive "pension wave" and maintain the system's stability. No infrastructure or systemic issues related to courts or staffing have been reported, indicating effective management of human resources within the ministry.
Minister von der Decken has also emphasised the need for not just more applicants, but also those with convincing qualifications. She highlighted that the age structure of their employees is relatively well distributed, which further supports the stability of the system.
To make the profession more attractive, the ministry is introducing family-friendly, mobile, and flexible working conditions. School classes will also be allowed to visit court proceedings to gain insights and awaken interest in the justice system.
In addition, the ministry is continuing to expand the personnel in the public prosecution offices in Schleswig-Holstein. The draft budget for 2026 provides for another 28 planned positions for these offices.
The German Press Agency reported the statements made by Minister von der Decken regarding the justice system and retirements. The ministry in Kiel also confirmed that there will be no pension wave in the justice system.
In a positive development, more than 70 new positions have been created in this legislative period for the public prosecution offices. This, along with the proactive recruitment and retention policies, is expected to sustain the judicial capacity without interruptions from large-scale retirements.
The Schleswig-Holstein Ministry of Justice is allocating resources for community aid, specifically in expanding the personnel for public prosecution offices, influenced by the need for research and development in attracting and retaining qualified staff.
Business growth in the justice system is projected as a result of family-friendly, mobile, and flexible working conditions being introduced, coupled with the offering of aid for research and development through visits by school classes to gain insights into the system.
