Beamtenrecht

Beamtenrecht is the body of law that governs the legal status, rights and duties, and career structure of civil servants in Germany. It consists of federal and state legislation; at the federal level the Bundesbeamtengesetz (BBG) and related regulations regulate appointment, tenure, service duties, and disciplinary procedures, while the Länder maintain their own Beamtengesetze and Laufbahnordnungen for their administrations.

The civil service relationship (Beamtenverhältnis) is a public-law relationship between the state (Dienstherr) and a Beamter. Core principles include the Lebenszeitprinzip (lifelong tenure for most Beamte), Dienstpflichten and Treuepflicht, Amtsverschwiegenheit, and political or administrative neutrality. Civil servants are recruited through an appointment process, often with a probationary period, and, after successful evaluation, may acquire lifelong tenure. Careers are organized along Laufbahnen (career paths) with defined qualifications, assessments, and promotion rules.

Beamte have specific rights and duties: they must perform duties loyally and impartially, comply with laws, and protect confidential information. They benefit from a special status in terms of remuneration and pensions, and are generally covered by Besoldungsordnungen (salary scales) and Versorgungsbezüge rather than ordinary social security schemes. The disciplinary system regulates misconduct, with sanctions ranging from admonition to removal from office or pension adjustments, following formal procedures.

The framework interacts with general labor law for non-beamten staff and with constitutional protections; Beamtenrechte also reflects limits on political participation and the prohibition of strikes in most cases. The system varies between the federal and state levels but shares a common aim: to provide a stable, professional, and neutral public service.