Support from the employer

There is no uniform regulation or law on whether the employer must provide the employees with an ergonomic office chair. The law only stipulates that a workplace must be provided which corresponds to the “current state of the art”. If an ergonomic office chair is required for health reasons, an application must be made to the health or pension insurance company, which can decide whether the measure is necessary.

Sometimes, however, it is worthwhile to talk to the employer about the equipment of the workplaces. The purchase of ergonomic office chairs can improve the health of the employees as well as the climate during work immensely and is therefore a possibility for the employer to act both economically and in an employee-friendly manner, even without the insurance company covering the costs. If the insurance company pays only a part of the costs for the purchase of an ergonomic office chair, it may be worthwhile to ask the employer whether they will cover the additional costs.

With stand up aid

In addition to the usual office chairs, there are also those that are equipped with an integrated standing-up aid.These chairs have a seat cushion that folds up and is supported by a hydraulic system. These special office chairs are particularly suitable for illnesses which are accompanied by muscular or nervous degeneration, making it almost impossible to get up from a normal office chair. Examples are progressive muscular dystrophy or multiple sclerosis. Total or partial coverage by insurance companies is possible, depending on the clinical picture.

Without backrest

Chairs or stools, which are sold without backrests, are intended to promote the body’s own muscle power during work. According to the current guideline of the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, such seating does not fall under the category of “ergonomic office chair”. Thus a backrest should not be dispensed with, especially during long and constant office work. Special attention should be paid to the ergonomic properties of the backrest. However, people who perform activities that involve frequent changes of place and sitting for only a short time can benefit from office chairs without backrests.