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> The new legislation, which is expected to be passed by Germany's Bundestag parliament, would allow workers to write off €5 ($6) per day to offset extra heating and electricity costs.

That's not feasible or scalable. As it is a balance, they will give you this but will take out somewhere else (less yearly increase and so on).

It's almost a disservice...




No, it's totally feasible. In 2019, businesses had expenses related to keeping offices habitable, that reduced their taxable income. Those offices are now closed, so they will have higher taxable incomes than they otherwise would. This will offset the lowered taxable incomes of from-home workers.


As it is a balance, they will give you this but will take out somewhere else (less yearly increase and so on).

Doesn't a write off mean a reduction in amount of taxable income? I think the government is saying German workers who work from home will pay tax on (income - $6/day) instead of (income). It would have no impact on their salary and there is no cost to their employer...


Yearly increase in what? Salaries? This would be something that gets written off from the taxes that your employer pays directly to the state for you.

Plus if my getting money for the amount of kilometers I drive between my home and the workplace is scalable and working fine, why wouldn't this be?


It's been this way in the UK for a long time, though it's set at £1.20 no-questions-asked via the basic PAYE portal and any amount you want to claim over the £6/week threshold on the self-assessment if you can evidence it (with receipts) and prove it was necessary for the remote work.


We have travel compensation 0.19eur/km but got a question from HR how many days were we actually at the office this year since march. 0 for me. So there would be a lot of budget for covering heating, electricity and the wear and tear on my PJs and slippers


> As it is a balance, they will give you this but will take out somewhere else (less yearly increase and so on).

It's taken off your taxes, not payed directly by your employer


You can write off 0,30 € per km one way if you commute to work by car. If you live more than 16 km away from your workplace that's already a loss for you.




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