Orthopedic and ergonomic work equipment
Orthopedic and ergonomic work equipment for employees
All FAU organizational units are responsible for implementing and complying with the rules below.
Costs are covered by the relevant organizational unit.
Please contact Ms. Marion Fuchs (phone +49 9131 85-26701, marion.fuchs@fau.de) for departments in University Administration (except IT equipment).
Orthopedic/ergonomic work equipment up to a value of 150 euros is generally considered as approved. This includes, for example, document holders, footrests, computer mice and keyboards. A certificate from the Occupational Medical Service is required for equipment that costs more than 150 euros.
You can also clarify in advance whether you are eligible for a subsidy for purchasing orthopedic office chairs and height-adjustable desks from the cost-bearing institutions named below.
You can borrow a trackball from the Occupational Medical Service to try it out before making a purchase.
Process for purchasing orthopedic office chairs and height-adjustable desks
The process for purchasing orthopedic office chairs and height-adjustable desks is as follows:
Please ensure you follow the sequence given below, as no subsidies will be awarded if you order equipment without prior approval from a cost-bearing institution.
- The employee must first obtain a medical certificate from their doctor or a medical certificate from the Occupational Medical Service
- Secondly, they must submit an application for reimbursement of the costs from one of the cost-bearing institutions below (depending on the prerequisites)
- Ordering and paying for the office chair or desk:
- The maximum costs for office furniture as well as the guidelines for awarding contracts must be observed.
- The invoice is issued either to the organizational unit or the employee themselves, in the cases in which one of the cost-bearing institutions below covers the costs (the organizational unit itself or the employee must pay in advance and then arrange for payment)
If no other cost-bearing institution is responsible for paying the invoice as the relevant conditions are not met, the invoice must be issued to the organizational unit.
- Request reimbursement from the relevant cost-bearing institution using the letter of approval as well as a copy of the invoice (not applicable if the conditions for reimbursement by a cost-bearing institution were not met)
Possible cost-bearing institutions
Please note: If none of the conditions below apply (for example, employee has paid pension contributions for longer than 15 years), item number 2 above can be omitted. In these cases, the employee must clarify in advance with the head of their organizational unit whether the organizational unit will cover the costs.
Employees
Federal Employment Agency (Agentur für Arbeit)
Prerequisites:
- The employee has paid statutory pension contributions for less than 15 years
- Persons whose chances of participation in employment are or continue to be considerably reduced due to the type and severity of their disability on a permanent basis and who therefore require assistance for occupational integration. The same applies if persons are at imminent risk of disability that would affect their ability to work.
In addition to the relevant documents from the Federal Employment Agency, a medical certificate or a discharge form from a rehabilitation clinic/specialist clinic and a cost estimate from a specialist dealer for the chair/desk must be submitted.
Bayerische Landesunfallkasse
Prerequisites:
- Proof of workplace or commuting accident or
- occupational disease
Integration services (Integrationsfachdienst) in Fürth
Prerequisites:
- Degree of disability of 50 % or 30 % with confirmation that the employee is to be treated equally to those with a severe disability
- mind. 15 hours of employment eligible for social insurance contributions
- payments are only made if no other cost-bearing institution is responsible.
In addition to the application for assistance from the integration services office, the following documents must be submitted:
- Copy of the disability permit or copy of the certificate from the Federal Employment Agency granting the employee equal status to those with a severe disability, if applicable,
- Cost estimates, quotations for comparison as well as
- Employment contract of disabled person who is going to be using the chair/desk
Funding cannot be provided for equipment with an overall total cost of less than 600 euros. Applications for funding for amounts over 10,000 euros must be secured, for example by a bank guarantee.
Health insurance providers
Applications to health insurance providers are only made for preventive measures or in cases of acute illness such as back problems. Decisions here are usually made on a case by case basis.
Public servants
Accident compensation fund of the State Finance Office - Regensburg office (Unfallfürsorge des Landesamts für Finanzen – Dienststelle Regensburg)
Prerequisites:
- Proof of workplace or commuting accident or
- occupational disease
Integration services (Integrationsfachdienst) in Fürth
Prerequisites:
- Degree of disability of 50 % or 30 % with confirmation that the employee is to be treated equally to those with a severe disability
- payments are only made if no other cost-bearing institution is responsible.
In addition to the application for assistance from the integration services office, the following documents must be submitted:
- Copy of the disability permit or copy of the certificate from the Federal Employment Agency granting the employee equal status to those with a severe disability, if applicable,
- Cost estimates, quotations for comparison as well as
- Employment contract of disabled person who is going to be using the chair/desk
Funding cannot be provided for equipment with an overall total cost of less than 600 euros. Applications for funding for amounts over 10,000 euros must be secured, for example by a bank guarantee.