If you need an ergonomic office chair, such as the Aeris Swopper or Aeris Numo Task, or a height-adjustable desk for health reasons, there are several ways to get financial support.
You can contact your employer directly, apply for a subsidy from your health insurance or pension insurance company, or buy the chair or table yourself (after consultation with your employer).
The Workplace Ordinance (ArbStättV) provides more specific details. Section 3 paragraph 1 of the ArbStättV states:
“When setting up and operating workplaces, the employer must implement the measures pursuant to Section 3 Paragraph 1 and, in doing so, take into account the state of the art, occupational medicine and hygiene, ergonomic requirements and, in particular, the rules and findings published by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs pursuant to Section 7 Paragraph 4.”
Experience shows that many employers are willing to invest in ergonomics in the workplace as part of their responsibility for the health of their employees and due to the growing importance of active health management in companies.
Because they know that this increases the performance and motivation of their employees and reduces sick leave and the associated costs. Therefore, an open conversation with the supervisor is often enough to make them aware of an existing back problem, for example, and to ask them to purchase and set up suitable furniture.
Here are some figures that should convince you: German employees were absent from work for an average of 19 days due to illness in 2022. Each day of illness costs the employer an average of between 400 and 500 euros. Diseases of the musculoskeletal system accounted for 13.7 percent of total absences, making them the third most common disease group in terms of absences (after diseases of the respiratory system and mental disorders). Source: TK Health Report 2023
However, if your employer refuses to buy an ergonomic office chair or desk, you can seek help from various officials or relevant organizations. These include works councils, company doctors, safety engineers and occupational safety specialists.
If that doesn’t work either, other cost carriers are needed.
The Aeris Numo Task allows for a lot of movement and can therefore prevent back pain.
German pension insurance (if you can prove 15 years of compulsory insurance employment or if the office chair is necessary as a medical service for rehabilitation)
Federal Employment Agency (for less than 15 years of employment subject to compulsory insurance)
Professional associations (after work-related or commuting accidents)
Integration Office (for civil servants and students)
Health insurance companies
1. Fill out the application form of the funding body (here e.g. www.deutsche-rentenversicherung.de )
2. Obtain a medical certificate or discharge report from rehab: This should state that you can only perform your job with the use of an appropriate work aid.
3. Create a job or activity description : as detailed as possible so that the need is easy to understand.
4. Obtain a cost estimate from a qualified specialist dealer. Important: Do not purchase the ergonomic office chair or desk until the application has been approved! Otherwise, the claim will expire.
5. Inform your employer : Before submitting your application, you should also clarify whether your employer approves the chair or table at your workplace. This is because the employer decides which work equipment is used in the company. In some companies, the company doctor or an ergonomics officer must first give their approval.
6. Submitting the application : Once this has been clarified, simply submit all the documents and then wait for a response. Now you need to be patient, as the response may take several months.
You can apply for subsidies for an ergonomic office chair from the German pension insurance or health insurance company, for example.
The German Pension Insurance has officially stopped supporting the purchase of a height-adjustable desk since 2018 on the grounds that the employer is primarily responsible for the purchase of height-adjustable desks.
If your application for funding for an ergonomic office chair is rejected, you have the opportunity to file an objection within 14 days.
Often the doctor's certificate is too vague. For example, a "recommendation for an orthopedic office chair for your back" is not always enough. Sometimes certain information is missing, which you can simply submit to the pension insurance company in a timely manner. Be persistent!
The costs for ergonomic office furniture can be deducted from taxes.
Immediate deduction
You can deduct 100 percent of the purchase price of office chairs up to €800 in the year of purchase. To do this, simply enter the entire invoice amount as business expenses in your income tax return (Appendix N). Important: The office chair may then only be used for professional purposes. (For this to have a positive effect on your tax return, the total business expenses must exceed the annual flat rate of €1,000 in business expenses.)
Standard depreciation over a useful life of 13 years
You can also always write off the cost of the office chair (no matter how much it cost) over 13 years (according to the Afa depreciation table of the Federal Ministry of Finance).
However, for purchase prices of €1,000.01 or more (€800.01 or more for employees), this depreciation method is mandatory.
Formation of collective items/pool depreciation
If the purchase price of the office chair is between €250.01 and €1,000, freelancers, self-employed persons, tradespeople and entrepreneurs also have the option of creating collective items/pool depreciation in accordance with Section 6 Paragraph 2a of the Income Tax Act .
All purchases in this price range are summarized in a collective item and depreciated over five years using the straight-line method at 20 percent. This form of depreciation is particularly worthwhile for items whose average useful life is more than five years, such as office furniture at 13 years.
If you choose pool depreciation, all products will be included. A mixture of immediate depreciation and collective item creation in the same year is not possible. You can decide each year which depreciation method is more worthwhile for you.
You can contact your employer directly, apply for a subsidy from your health insurance or pension insurance company, or buy the chair or table yourself (after consultation with your employer).
Does my employer have to buy me an ergonomic office chair or height-adjustable desk?
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Act, employers are responsible for the health and safety of their employees in the workplace. The law therefore indirectly requires employers to take ergonomic findings into account when designing workplaces.The Workplace Ordinance (ArbStättV) provides more specific details. Section 3 paragraph 1 of the ArbStättV states:
“When setting up and operating workplaces, the employer must implement the measures pursuant to Section 3 Paragraph 1 and, in doing so, take into account the state of the art, occupational medicine and hygiene, ergonomic requirements and, in particular, the rules and findings published by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs pursuant to Section 7 Paragraph 4.”
Experience shows that many employers are willing to invest in ergonomics in the workplace as part of their responsibility for the health of their employees and due to the growing importance of active health management in companies.
Because they know that this increases the performance and motivation of their employees and reduces sick leave and the associated costs. Therefore, an open conversation with the supervisor is often enough to make them aware of an existing back problem, for example, and to ask them to purchase and set up suitable furniture.
Here are some figures that should convince you: German employees were absent from work for an average of 19 days due to illness in 2022. Each day of illness costs the employer an average of between 400 and 500 euros. Diseases of the musculoskeletal system accounted for 13.7 percent of total absences, making them the third most common disease group in terms of absences (after diseases of the respiratory system and mental disorders). Source: TK Health Report 2023
However, if your employer refuses to buy an ergonomic office chair or desk, you can seek help from various officials or relevant organizations. These include works councils, company doctors, safety engineers and occupational safety specialists.
If that doesn’t work either, other cost carriers are needed.
The Aeris Numo Task allows for a lot of movement and can therefore prevent back pain.From which funding bodies can I apply for a subsidy for an ergonomic office chair?
The second option is to apply for a subsidy from a funding agency. Under very specific conditions, they will cover or subsidize the costs of purchasing an ergonomic office chair or height-adjustable desk for the workplace:What steps do I need to take when applying?
Here you will find the most important steps (example of an application to the pension insurance):1. Fill out the application form of the funding body (here e.g. www.deutsche-rentenversicherung.de )
2. Obtain a medical certificate or discharge report from rehab: This should state that you can only perform your job with the use of an appropriate work aid.
3. Create a job or activity description : as detailed as possible so that the need is easy to understand.
4. Obtain a cost estimate from a qualified specialist dealer. Important: Do not purchase the ergonomic office chair or desk until the application has been approved! Otherwise, the claim will expire.
5. Inform your employer : Before submitting your application, you should also clarify whether your employer approves the chair or table at your workplace. This is because the employer decides which work equipment is used in the company. In some companies, the company doctor or an ergonomics officer must first give their approval.
6. Submitting the application : Once this has been clarified, simply submit all the documents and then wait for a response. Now you need to be patient, as the response may take several months.
Tip: This should be included in the specialist’s certificate:
The treating doctor must certify in a medical report that the purchase of an ergonomic office chair is " indispensable and absolutely necessary " in order to " maintain professional working capacity and health " or to " enable successful rehabilitation into working life " if you have completed a rehabilitation measure. If you have taken part in a rehabilitation measure, the information should be included in the discharge report.
In addition, the certificate must contain as detailed a description of the chair's functions as possible, for example: The office chair must be "freely movable in all directions to encourage active, dynamic sitting ". The office chair should " adapt to the movements of the body ", etc. The more precise the information, the clearer and easier it is to understand the application for the clerk.
You can apply for subsidies for an ergonomic office chair from the German pension insurance or health insurance company, for example.Which costs can be covered by the German pension insurance?
The German pension insurance provides a subsidy of up to €1,305 for an ergonomic office chair.The German Pension Insurance has officially stopped supporting the purchase of a height-adjustable desk since 2018 on the grounds that the employer is primarily responsible for the purchase of height-adjustable desks.
Tip: Health insurance companies are not legally obliged to subsidize ergonomic office furniture, so they are the last port of call. However, some health insurance companies have a list of aids that they subsidize. Check to see if an ergonomic office chair or height-adjustable desk is included. If so, your chances of getting a positive decision are good.
What should I do if the application is rejected?
If the answer is yes, you can buy the chair and simply submit the invoice to the cost carrier, who will then reimburse the costs up to the maximum amount. The office chair then becomes your property and you can take it with you if you change companies. If the employer covers part of the costs, you will have to come to an agreement with them if you change.If your application for funding for an ergonomic office chair is rejected, you have the opportunity to file an objection within 14 days.
Often the doctor's certificate is too vague. For example, a "recommendation for an orthopedic office chair for your back" is not always enough. Sometimes certain information is missing, which you can simply submit to the pension insurance company in a timely manner. Be persistent!
The costs for ergonomic office furniture can be deducted from taxes.What if I buy an ergonomic office chair myself?
Then you can deduct the costs from your taxes. There are various options for this:Immediate deduction
You can deduct 100 percent of the purchase price of office chairs up to €800 in the year of purchase. To do this, simply enter the entire invoice amount as business expenses in your income tax return (Appendix N). Important: The office chair may then only be used for professional purposes. (For this to have a positive effect on your tax return, the total business expenses must exceed the annual flat rate of €1,000 in business expenses.)
Standard depreciation over a useful life of 13 years
You can also always write off the cost of the office chair (no matter how much it cost) over 13 years (according to the Afa depreciation table of the Federal Ministry of Finance).
However, for purchase prices of €1,000.01 or more (€800.01 or more for employees), this depreciation method is mandatory.
Formation of collective items/pool depreciation
If the purchase price of the office chair is between €250.01 and €1,000, freelancers, self-employed persons, tradespeople and entrepreneurs also have the option of creating collective items/pool depreciation in accordance with Section 6 Paragraph 2a of the Income Tax Act .
All purchases in this price range are summarized in a collective item and depreciated over five years using the straight-line method at 20 percent. This form of depreciation is particularly worthwhile for items whose average useful life is more than five years, such as office furniture at 13 years.
If you choose pool depreciation, all products will be included. A mixture of immediate depreciation and collective item creation in the same year is not possible. You can decide each year which depreciation method is more worthwhile for you.
Tip: The same limits and deadlines apply to all office furniture such as tables, cabinets, armchairs and shelves as for office chairs.
Disclaimer: Please note that we are not permitted to provide tax or legal advice and this information does not constitute tax or legal advice. It is merely general information about the products we offer, which must be adapted to the respective facts of the individual case and assessed from a tax and legal perspective. Please seek advice from your tax or legal advisor tailored to your circumstances before making any decisions on issues arising in connection with our products. No liability is accepted.
