Germany to End Sick Leave Certificates Issued by Telephone

Germany's governing coalition parties, CDU/CSU and SPD, led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, have reached an agreement to abolish the practice of issuing sick leave certificates by telephone and to require employees to submit a medical certificate from the first day of illness.

The decision follows a significant rise in sick leave across companies after the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting the government to tighten the existing system.

Speaking at a press conference in Berlin, Merz said:

“We cannot accept the extraordinarily high levels of sick leave seen in companies since the coronavirus pandemic. We are abolishing the practice of issuing sick leave certificates by telephone and making it mandatory to submit a certificate of incapacity for work from the very first day of illness. This is a difficult decision—we are aware of that. However, we can no longer afford the competitive disadvantage caused by prolonged absenteeism in companies.”

Source: Anadolu Agency