Lead

Germany's coalition government has announced changes to sick-leave rules that will require workers to provide a doctor's note to their employers on the first day of illness. The plans, which also end the option of obtaining a sick note by phone, have been agreed by Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservative Christian Democratic Party (CDU) and the Social Democrats (SPD). The move is part of a larger package of reforms and budget cuts to health and social security programs.

Coverage comparison

The announcement has drawn attention from multiple international outlets, including ABC Australia, BBC, and Deutsche Welle. All report that the change is driven by concerns over high numbers of sick days in Germany, which officials say are hurting the economy. Chancellor Merz is quoted as saying: "The number of sick days in Germany is too high," and that the country "can no longer afford this competitive disadvantage caused by long absences from work."

Deutsche Welle reports that the move follows research published in January by the Berlin-based IGES Institute, which found that German workers now take an average of 19.5 working days as sick leave per year—up from about 13 days in 2018. The same outlet notes that the change is part of a larger package of reforms and budget cuts to health and social security programs.

Medical groups have strongly criticized the plans. The KBV, a national association representing statutory health insurance physicians, said that it "bordered on madness" to force thousands of people to visit doctors' surgeries solely to fill in forms. "Anyone who is coughing or has a gastrointestinal infection belongs in bed – not in an overcrowded surgery," the association said in a statement. The Association of General Practitioners similarly warned that infection cases which would have required only a day or two in bed would fill up doctors' waiting rooms.

Vice-Chancellor Lars Klingbeil, the SPD leader, has attempted to calm the situation, telling RTL TV he was looking for "workable solutions."

Key claims

  • New rule from January next year: Workers will no longer be able to get a sick note over the phone and must visit a doctor in person on the first day of illness. This was reported by ABC Australia, BBC, and Deutsche Welle.
  • Current rules: Up to three sick days can be taken without a medical certificate, although employers may request one earlier, as described by ABC Australia and BBC.
  • Sick note via phone: The phone-based sick note was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic and made permanent in 2023, ABC Australia reports. The BBC similarly notes that the measure is being scrapped.
  • Chancellor's remarks: Merz said the high number of absences is hurting Germany's economy and that the country is "returning to the arrangements we had before the coronavirus pandemic," as quoted by BBC and Deutsche Welle.
  • Coalition agreement: The plans were agreed by the CDU and SPD, according to BBC and Deutsche Welle.
  • IGES data: German workers took an average of 19.5 sick days per year, according to research by the Berlin-based IGES Institute, as reported by Deutsche Welle and ABC Australia.
  • Generous sick leave system: Germany's system is one of the most generous in the world, with workers entitled to 100% of their salary for up to six weeks of sick leave, paid by the employer, as reported by ABC Australia and Deutsche Welle.
  • Post-six-week coverage: After six weeks, statutory health insurance pays about 70% of gross pay with a cap for up to 78 weeks within three years for the same illness, as explained by Deutsche Welle.
  • OECD data: A claim that OECD data shows Germany reached an average of 3.5 weeks (24.5 days) of sick leave last year was carried by a single outlet and not included in the other reporting.

Perspectives

The perspectives section is omitted because the available material does not present two or more distinct viewpoints attributable to named parties beyond the government's position and the medical groups' criticism. The article focuses on the factual announcement and reactions.