Vocational school
"You pay for the journey to vocational school yourself."
You have to travel to vocational school, inter-company courses or exams at your own expense.
BAG 26.09.2002 – 6 AZR 486/00 / Tarifvertrag
It depends …
Vocational school travel is usually your cost — inter-company courses are paid by the company.
According to case law, the company generally does not have to pay travel and accommodation costs for vocational school — not even for block teaching away from home (Federal Labour Court, 26 Sep 2002 – 6 AZR 486/00). It is different if the company sends you to a school other than the responsible one, if a collective agreement provides for reimbursement (e.g. in the public sector), or if your federal state pays subsidies (many states support travel and accommodation for block teaching). Inter-company courses and training measures outside the company, on the other hand, are part of in-company training — the company bears their costs.
What the law says
BAG 26 Sep 2002 – 6 AZR 486/00
The trainer bears the costs of in-company training, but not the costs arising from attending vocational school.
§ 14 (1) no. 3 BBiG – Training materials
Trainers must provide trainees free of charge with the materials required for the training and for taking the exams.
§ 19 (1) no. 1 BBiG – Pay
Pay continues for the time of release under § 15 — including vocational school and inter-company measures.
What you can do
- Ask the school authority or district about travel or accommodation subsidies for vocational students.
- Check your collective agreement — it often contains a reimbursement rule.
- Inter-company courses: collect receipts and submit them to the company.
- If you no longer live with your parents, check vocational training allowance (BAB) at the employment agency.
Email template for your trainer
Subject: Reimbursement of costs for the inter-company course
Dear [name of trainer],
for the inter-company course from [date] to [date] in [place] I incurred travel and accommodation costs of [amount €] (receipts attached).
Inter-company courses are part of in-company training; their costs are borne by the training company. [If applicable: our collective agreement also provides for reimbursement in § [X].]
I kindly ask you to reimburse them with the next payment.
Kind regards
[Your name]