Every month there are innovations that are important to citizens. In April, among other things, the sale of the 49 euro ticket will start, which is presented as a successor to the successful 9 euro ticket. Good news also awaits all employees: they can count on a net salary increase with the same gross salary. And this, of course, is not all.
49–Euro–Ticket
A successor to the €9 ticket has long been discussed, but now the 49-Euro-Ticket finally has an official start date: From May 1, 2023, the ticket will be valid throughout Germany on all local and regional modes of transport. Unfortunately, the ticket cannot be used on high-speed trains such as ICE, IC or EC, nor can other people be taken.
The €49 ticket will be available online and at all usual outlets from April 3, 2023. For many passengers, the €49 ticket should be a financial relief, as most monthly tickets are considerably more expensive .
More net for the same gross
From April 1, 2023, all employees and civil servants will receive more net for the same gross salary. The reason for this is a change in the procedure for deducting income tax. From April 1, all employers must take into account the increase in tax benefits for employees. The lump sum for them is fixed at 1,230 euros and the amount of the allowance for single parents is 4,260 euros. Therefore, less tax will be paid and a little more transferred to net income.
Shutdown of the nuclear power plant
On April 15, 2023, the last nuclear power plants in operation will be shut down. At the end of last year, the operating time of the Emsland, Isar-2 and Neckarwestheim-2 nuclear power plants was extended. The reason for their continued work was the energy crisis caused by the conflict in Ukraine. The energy produced by nuclear power plants was supposed to stabilize the electricity supply in winter. According to Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke, the final phase-out of nuclear energy will take place in April.
“Crown” measurements
The national Corona protection regulations will only be in force until April 7, 2023. During this period, for example, the wearing of FFP2 masks in medical settings such as medical practices, hospitals or nursing homes will continue to apply. ‘apply. The Länder can also enact special ordinances to protect vulnerable populations.
It is not yet known whether further innovations and changes will be made by the Federal Government after the expiry of the current Guarantees Ordinance.
More money
From April, the minimum wage for painters and varnishers will change. The salary will drop from the current 12 euros per hour to 14.50 euros. Assistants will benefit from an increase in the minimum wage to 12.50 euros.
Temporary workers can also count on a raise – the collectively agreed minimum wage will be 13 euros per hour from April 2023.
Wages for workers in the main construction industry in April will rise 2% in the West and 2.7% in the East. In addition, a one-off payment of 450 euros is planned for all employees in May.
Microsoft raises prices
From April 2023, Microsoft cloud products will become more expensive by approximately 11%. The company justifies the increase in value by equalizing prices on a global scale. This will notably affect Microsoft 365, Office 365 and Dynamics 365, as well as Microsoft Defender and Teams. Going forward, consumers should also be prepared for Microsoft to raise prices every six months.
The right to donate blood
Until now, there was a rule that gay men, in particular, were not allowed to donate blood. With changes to the Blood Transfusion Act, blood donation is now permitted for everyone under certain circumstances. From now on, sexual orientation is no longer taken into account – this also applies to transsexuals.
However, sexual activity still plays a role: people who change sexual partners often still cannot donate blood. This is verified in a questionnaire that must be completed before each blood donation. The restriction was lifted on March 16.
