Successful conciliation procedure at German soccer federation DFB: Wacker Burghausen with Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek settles labor dispute with former coach Donkov

Wacker Burghausen Fußball GmbH and Georgi Donkov achieved a settlement agreement at DFB headquarters in Frankfurt am Main on December 12, 2013. It had been preceded by a lawsuit filed by Donkov at Rosenheim Labor Court, after Wacker had put Donkov on leave with reduced salary until the end of his contract (June 30, 2014). Donkov's representative asserted claims for employment, bonuses, staff car, and reimbursement for expenses on behalf of the coach.
 
According to the DFB bylaws, the lawsuit could only proceed, however, after an amicable settlement of the dispute had remained unsuccessful in a conciliation hearing at the German soccer federation. Presided by the former chairman of the DFB federal court, Goetz Eilers, who among other things had decided on last year's complaint by Hertha BSC against upholding the result of the relegation game at Fortuna Düsseldorf, the parties now entered into a settlement agreement. Accordingly, Donkov will continue to be on leave until contract end while receiving payment of his basic salary (i.e. without bonuses, staff car, etc.).

In the conciliation hearing, Wacker Burghausen was represented by Florian Hahn, General Manager, and Dr. Johan-Michel Menke, Sports Law Expert and Certified Specialist Lawyer for Employment Law at Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek. The conciliation award will also render proceedings under employment law unnecessary.
 
Counsel to Wacker Burghausen Fußball GmbH:
Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek
Dr. Johan-Michel Menke, LL.M. (Employment Law, Sports Law), Hamburg