German Coalition Faces Backlash Over Strict New Sick?Note Rules as Doctors Warn of Crowded Waiting Rooms
04.07.2026 - 03:05:46 | boerse-global.de
Physicians’ groups and health insurers have launched a fierce attack on the German government’s planned labour?law overhaul, which will require workers to produce a doctor’s certificate from the very first day they fall ill. The reform, approved by the cabinet, also abolishes the option of a telephone sick?note that had been introduced during the pandemic.
Under the new rules, employees who are sick must provide a medical certificate (Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung) starting with day one of absence. Previously they had three days to present the document. Chancellor Friedrich Merz justified the change by pointing to persistently high sickness rates, which he called a competitive disadvantage for Germany. According to conservative parliamentary circles, the average illness?related absence now stands at roughly 18 days per year.
Although the chancellor stressed that the rule does not require a visit to the doctor’s office on the same day – the certificate can be issued retroactively for up to three days – questions remain about its practical application. Hendrik Wüst, the premier of North Rhine?Westphalia, asked whether the proof needed only to cover the first day or also had to be produced on that day.
Getting workplace documentation right is at the heart of compliance. For UK employers, the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 demands clear records that many find difficult to maintain without the right tools. A free toolkit gives you nine ready-to-use resources, including risk assessments, checklists, and a director's liability guide, to help you meet legal obligations without the guesswork. Download the free Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 Toolkit
Coalition Tensions and a Contentious Compromise
Within the governing coalition, the Social Democrats (SPD) have voiced unease. Party leader Lars Klingbeil called for a sensible implementation, while General Secretary Klüssendorf described the arrangement as the lesser evil compared with introducing unpaid waiting days. Bundestag President Bärbel Bas announced that the plans would be examined, and said flexibility for collective?bargaining agreements should remain.
The scrapping of telephone sick?notes is a core element of the package. Health Minister Warken justified the move by calling the pandemic?era measure a “state of exception” whose termination was consistent. As a digital alternative, the ministry pointed to video consultations.
The National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians branded the plan “contradictory”. Family doctors are warning of overcrowded waiting rooms and additional red tape. Data fuels the debate: the DAK health insurance fund reported an average of 19.5 sick days for 2025, while the Federal Statistical Office recorded 14.8 working days lost in 2024. Around 37% of all sick?leave notifications fall on a Monday, according to AOK analyses. Yet SPD health politician Pantazis noted that there is no scientific evidence of abuse of telephone sick?notes, which recently accounted for only 0.8% to 1.2% of all medical certificates.
Broader Labour?Law Changes: Longer Fixed?Term Contracts, Looser Protection for High Earners
The reform package extends far beyond sick?leave rules. The maximum duration of a fixed?term contract without specific grounds will rise from two years to four years (48 months), with up to six renewals allowed. This provision applies until 31 December 2030. The written?form requirement for fixed?term agreements is also being dropped.
When employment rules shift, your health and safety framework needs to keep pace. Many UK employers discover that internal documentation gaps only emerge when workforce structures change. A comprehensive free Health & Safety Toolkit covers risk assessments, fire safety, COSHH, and more – giving you the templates to stay compliant through any organisational transition. Get your free Health & Safety Toolkit
For employees earning an annual salary of around €177,450 or more, dismissal protection will be relaxed, making it easier to terminate their contracts in exchange for severance payments. The government intends to introduce tax incentives for rapid job?changes and adjustments to mini?jobs and supplements for Sunday and public?holiday work.
The legislative process is now underway. The government stressed that companies can continue to agree on alternative rules for the certificate requirement in consultation with their workers.
