The hourly wage will rise from approximately €2 to €3.37, in compliance with a 2023 ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court that deemed the previous rate unconstitutional.
New Pay Structure Tied to National Pension Benchmark
The Bavarian State Parliament is expected to pass the legislative amendment this week with broad support. Under the new law, prisoner wages will be calculated at 15 percent of the average income used to determine statutory pension contributions. Until now, inmates had received just 9 percent of that benchmark.
Mandatory Work Still in Place for Inmates
In Bavaria, work is compulsory for convicted inmates. Around 10,000 individuals are currently incarcerated across the state, many of whom are employed in prison-run workshops such as carpentry, metalwork, laundry services, printing, or sewing. Some of the goods produced, like slippers or kitchenware, are even sold through online platforms.
Bavarian Justice Minister Georg Eisenreich of the CSU emphasized that the purpose of prison labor is not profit: “The sole goal of inmate work is rehabilitation. It is intended to prepare prisoners for life after release—not to serve as a source of revenue.”
Limited Revenue from Prison Labor Despite High Costs
While inmates contribute through their work, the financial return to the state is minimal. According to the Bavarian Ministry of Justice, the cost of prison operations in 2024 amounted to €661.5 million, while labor programs brought in only €34.3 million—around five percent of total expenditures. Over the past decade, Bavaria has also invested approximately €45.5 million in building renovations and new equipment for prison workshops.
Nationwide Reform Required by 2025, No Back Pay Ordered
The Federal Constitutional Court’s decision mandates that all German states update their legislation to reflect the new compensation guidelines by the end of June 2025. However, the court did not require retroactive payments for past work. The ruling was the result of legal challenges brought by two inmates from Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia who successfully contested the previous wage system. Since most German states enforce mandatory labor for prisoners, the reform will apply across the country.
Latest Posts
