Sick Leave: Reporting Sick from Day One: Why the Doctor's Note Requirement Doesn't Necessarily Help Companies
The Berlin coalition wants to send employees to the doctor in the future as early as the first day of illness. Supporters hope for fewer absences. The Minister of Labour doubts that the plan will work.
The German government is concerned about the high number of sick days in the country, which cost companies 85.6 billion euros in 2023, up from 54 billion euros 10 years ago. The ruling coalition has agreed to require employees to provide a doctor's note from the first day of illness, a move supported by Chancellor Friedrich Merz but opposed by Labour Minister Bärbel Bas.
Economists say stricter rules could lead to fewer sick days, citing a Swedish experiment that showed similar results, but there is limited data on the effectiveness of such a policy in Germany. Critics, including some companies and the Social Association VdK, warn that the new rule could lead to people going to work while sick or being off work for longer periods.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's report — not a translation of it. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
