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Germans must now have doctor's note to call in sick to work
New York Post • • world
Key Points:
- Germany will now require workers to provide a doctor’s note from the first day of illness to take sick leave, ending the previous policy that allowed phone notification for sick days.
- Chancellor Friedrich Merz supports the change, citing the need to reduce high sick leave levels and improve the country’s economic competitiveness.
- Previously, employees could take up to six weeks of paid sick leave per illness, in addition to six weeks of vacation, resulting in an average of 14.8 sick days taken annually by workers.
- The new policy is part of broader labor reforms, including gradually increasing the retirement age from 65 to 67 and giving employers more flexibility to hire short-term workers.
- Medical professionals warn that the requirement for doctor’s notes could overwhelm the healthcare system, while the government emphasizes the reforms are necessary to boost Germany’s struggling economy.
