Sick report: How employers can defend themselves against slackers

Berlin. Although the sickness rate in Germany has recently decreased slightly, the total number of absences due to illness among employees remains high, according to data from Techniker Krankenkasse. Accordingly, between January and November 2025, German employees reported an average of around 18.6 days of illness. In the entire year of 2021, German employees were absent due to illness for only around 13 days.

But how many of these are actually sick and how many "play truant" - i.e., only pretend to be sick? No one knows exactly, but there are indications: According to a survey by the opinion research institute Yougov from last year, more than every fourth person has already been absent under false pretenses. A current study by the health insurance company Pronova BKK found that 60 percent of employees have already reported being sick, although they actually felt fit enough for work.

Seven percent do this "frequently". For around half of those surveyed, this occurs "sometimes" or "rarely". If an employee repeatedly reports being sick, although they are actually capable of working, the employer does not have to accept this. Two specialist lawyers for labor law explain which legal options companies have to take action against such "truant illness".