Declaratory relief in employment dispute: scope of admissible subject matter for a mere declaratory action

The Federal Labour Court (BAG) upheld the dismissal of the employee's claim, reversing the lower court's partial success on the first declaratory request and ordering the employee to bear 96% of the costs across all instances. The dispute centered on an employment law matter where the employee sought declaratory relief regarding their contractual position, challenging the employer's stance in a proceeding that proceeded through the Labour Court and the Higher Labour Court of Lower Saxony. While the specific statutory provisions are not detailed in the provided text, the court's decision indicates that the employee's legal basis for the declaratory claims lacked sufficient merit, resulting in the complete rejection of the appeal and the affirmation of the employer's position as the prevailing party.