Photo: izzetugutmen / iStock
- These are the legislative changes coming into force in October 2015
- Pharmacies: Online is now better checked
- Toll: even smaller trucks are now subject to a toll
- Minimum wage: wage regulations in nursing and waste management
- Efficiency label for cars: How much does my new car use?
These are the legislative changes coming into force in October 2015
Everything is new October! These laws are new or change from today. From minimum wage, toll, pharmacies - that changes from today.
Pharmacies: Online is now better checked
More and more people are using online pharmacies - and more and more fraudsters are seeing a lucrative business. For this reason, online pharmacies now require a test logo throughout the EU. The emblem will identify online retailers and pharmacies that are considered to be qualified and trustworthy and who are permitted to sell medicines on the Internet under their respective national laws.
The logo shows a white cross on a green striped background. Part of the logo is also the flag of the country where the dealer is based. Anyone who clicks on the logo will be redirected to the website of the respective national drug agency.
Toll: even smaller trucks are now subject to a toll
Not only the very big ones have to pay. Even trucks from home and abroad with a total weight of 7.5 tons are now subject to tolls, not just those from 12 tons.
This may not be true for each of us directly, as long as we are not truck drivers, but for example the next move with a moving company could affect us.
In addition, the toll rate is now calculated differently: In addition to the pollutant class, there are four instead of the previous two axle classes. As a result, the federal government expects additional revenue of around 380 million euros per year to be used for road construction.
In addition, the network has been expanded: for example, the truck toll now covers approximately 12, 800 kilometers of federal highways and 2, 300 kilometers of federal highways.
Minimum wage: wage regulations in nursing and waste management
Employees in the care sector or waste management now have a minimum wage. Also, caregivers of demented persons in nursing homes, day-to-day escorts and assistants receive a minimum wage of 9.40 euros per hour in the west and 8.65 euros in the east.
This wage will increase even further: In two further steps, it will be raised to 10.20 euros per hour in the west and 9.50 euros in the east by January 2017.
A good start, but we hope that this is not the end of efforts to make care jobs more attractive. We are sure: There are still plenty of opportunities.
Even in the waste industry, there is now fairer wage: Here, everyone gets immediately, no matter whether East or West Germany, at least 8.94 euros gross per hour. This applies to all employees of disposal companies, street cleaning and winter services.
Efficiency label for cars: How much does my new car use?
Anyone who wants to buy, lease or rent a car will now be better informed about its consumption. Because the efficiency label for cars must now include the fuel costs.
So far, these efficiency labels have only been the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of a car, now the annual cost of fuel should stand on it.
And how do car dealers know how much fuel costs? They are based on a list issued by the Federal Ministry of Economics once a year. Prices of fuels and other energy sources are regularly updated in June of each year to cope with price developments.
Last month missed?
Child Benefit and Co .: This will change in September 2015
