On 1 August 2022, a new EU directive will come into force that aims to strengthen workers' rights. The so-called "Directive on Transparent and Reliable Working Conditions" stipulates which information and documentation obligations employers must comply with. Anyone who signs a new employment contract from 1 August 2022 onwards must in future be given the essential contractual conditions in writing by the time they start work. These include, for instance, the maximum duration of the probationary period, the remuneration, regulations on the remuneration of overtime, the agreed working hours and agreements on breaks.

This means that from now on significantly more contractual terms and conditions must be recorded in writing than so far. However, the new directive only applies to contracts concluded from 1 August 2022, not to existing employment contracts.

The nine-euro ticket is entering its final round - at the end of August 2022, the ticket for nationwide local transport will expire. It is not yet clear what will happen after that. The nine-euro ticket is one of the measures from the federal government's relief package and is designed to help temporarily reduce the cost of mobility in times of exploding prices. Many citizens are calling for an extension of the offer. The federal and state governments are currently wrangling over a possible follow-up offer for the popular local transport tickets. There have already been proposals for a 365-euro annual ticket or a 69-euro monthly ticket. Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing has announced that he expects a follow-up offer from the end of 2022 or the beginning of 2023.

By the way: If you want to use the nine-euro ticket in August 2022, don't forget to buy the appropriate ticket. Although the nine-euro ticket is valid nationwide for three months, the tickets must be purchased individually for each month.

On 1 August, the so-called "Act on the Implementation of the Digitalisation Directive" will come into force. This means that certain types of companies can be founded online in the future. These include the GmbH (limited liability company) and the Unternehmergesellschaft, or "UG" for short. In future, anyone wishing to found such a form of company will no longer have to make an appointment with a notary in person. Instead, an online meeting will suffice.

Energy prices will probably continue to rise in August 2022. This is because there is still the threat of a complete gas freeze from the Russian government. Stadtwerke Bonn has already announced that it will raise electricity and gas prices. District heating customers must also prepare for significant price increases.

Anyone who subscribes to the internet sports channel DAZN will have to dig much deeper into their pockets from August 2022. Prices will also rise drastically for existing customers: from August 2022, the costs for a monthly subscription will double at DAZN, rising from 14.99 to 29.99 euros. The costs for other subscription packages will also rise as of August 2022. (Original text: Sandra Liermann / Translation: Jean Lennox)