das  Landesarbeitsgericht

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈlandəsˌʔaʁbaɪ̯tsɡəˌʁɪçt/

🏛️ What is a Landesarbeitsgericht?

The Landesarbeitsgericht (often abbreviated as LAG) is a court within the Arbeitsgerichtsbarkeit (labor jurisdiction) in Germany. It functions as the second instance court, above the local Arbeitsgericht (Labor Court). Its primary role is to hear appeals (Berufungen) and complaints (Beschwerden) against decisions made by the Arbeitsgerichte within its district.

It operates at the state level (Landesebene), hence the prefix "Landes-". Each German federal state (Bundesland), with the exception of Bremen (which shares an LAG with Lower Saxony), has at least one Landesarbeitsgericht.

The article is always das because the core noun "Gericht" (court) is neuter: das Gericht → das Landesarbeitsgericht.

🧐 Grammar Spotlight: Das Landesarbeitsgericht

"Landesarbeitsgericht" is a neuter noun. It always takes the article das.

Declension:

Example Sentences

1. Die Berufung wurde beim Landesarbeitsgericht eingelegt.
   (The appeal was filed with the State Labor Court.)
2. Das Urteil des Landesarbeitsgerichts war eindeutig.
   (The verdict of the State Labor Court was clear.)
3. Man reichte die Klage dem Landesarbeitsgericht zur Prüfung ein.
   (The lawsuit was submitted to the State Labor Court for review.)
4. Der Anwalt kennt das Landesarbeitsgericht gut.
   (The lawyer knows the State Labor Court well.)
5. In Deutschland gibt es mehrere Landesarbeitsgerichte.
   (There are several State Labor Courts in Germany.)

⚖️ When to Use Landesarbeitsgericht

The term "Landesarbeitsgericht" is primarily used in a legal context, specifically concerning German Arbeitsrecht (labor law).

• Second Instance: You refer to the Landesarbeitsgericht when discussing appeals (Berufungen) or complaints (Beschwerden) against judgments or decisions from the first-instance Arbeitsgerichte.
• Jurisdiction: It adjudicates disputes between employers and employees, or between parties to collective bargaining agreements, provided the conditions for an appeal or complaint are met.
• Distinction: It's crucial to differentiate the Landesarbeitsgericht from the Arbeitsgericht (first instance) and the Bundesarbeitsgericht (highest instance, handling revisions/appeals on points of law).
• Everyday Use: Outside legal circles, the term is less common, typically appearing in news reports about significant labor law rulings.

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

Article Mnemonic: Think of the court building (das Gericht) as a neutral, non-gendered place, like "the house" (das Haus). Das Gericht helps remember das Landesarbeitsgericht.

Meaning Mnemonic: Imagine a ladder representing the court system (Instanzenzug): At the bottom is the local Arbeitsgericht (work court). In the middle, at the state (Landes-) level, stands the Landesarbeitsgericht. It's the state-level court for labor matters.

🔄 Related and Contrasting Terms

Direct antonyms don't really exist for this specific institution. One might consider an "außergerichtliche Einigung" (out-of-court settlement) as a contrasting concept to taking a case to court.

😄 A Little Joke

Richter zum Angeklagten im Arbeitsrechtsprozess: "Warum haben Sie Ihrem Chef eine Ohrfeige gegeben?"
Angeklagter: "Er hat gesagt, ich soll meine Arbeit mit mehr Schlagkraft erledigen!"

Translation:
Judge to the defendant in a labor law trial: "Why did you slap your boss?"
Defendant: "He told me to do my work with more 'punch' (Schlagkraft can mean punch/impact/striking power)!"

(Of course, such cases rarely go directly to the Landesarbeitsgericht; they start at the Arbeitsgericht.)

📜 A Little Poem

Gab's Streit im Job, ging's vor Gericht,
doch das Urteil passte nicht?
Dann hofft man sehr, ganz ungelogen,
auf das Landesarbeitsgericht, wird nach oben gezogen.
Die zweite Chance, das Recht zu finden,
um Zwist und Ärger zu überwinden.

Translation:
If there was strife at work, went to court,
but the verdict wasn't the right sort?
Then one hopes greatly, it's no lie,
for the State Labor Court, pulled up high.
The second chance, to find what's just,
to overcome dispute and disgust.

❓ Riddle Time

Ich bin kein Bund, doch steh' im Land,
nehm' Urteile der Arbeit an die Hand.
Bin nach dem Start die nächste Stufe,
für Arbeitnehmer und Chefs – ich rufe!

Wer bin ich?

Translation:
I'm not federal (Bund), but stand in the state (Land),
I take labor judgments in hand.
After the start, I'm the next stage,
For employees and bosses – I engage!

Who am I?

Solution: das Landesarbeitsgericht (the State Labor Court)

💡 More Interesting Facts

Word Composition:

The word "Landesarbeitsgericht" is a compound noun, formed from three parts:

• Landes-: Refers to the federal state level (Land).
• Arbeits-: Indicates the area of jurisdiction – 'Arbeit' means work or labor.
• Gericht: Means court.

Hierarchy in the German Legal System (Labor Law):

Within the labor court system (Arbeitsgerichtsbarkeit), there is a clear hierarchy:

1. Arbeitsgericht (AG) - First Instance
2. Landesarbeitsgericht (LAG) - Second Instance (Appeals/Complaints)
3. Bundesarbeitsgericht (BAG) - Third Instance (Appeals on points of law / Revision)