German coalition to tighten sick‑note rules to curb high absenteeism
Executive summary: The German Schwarz‑Red coalition announced forthcoming stricter procedures for issuing and submitting sick notes (Krankschreibungen) in order to bring down elevated absenteeism levels. Tighter sick‑note rules could lower fraudulent leave but impose additional administrative burdens on workers and raise verification costs for employers, affecting productivity and labour‑market dynamics.
Who is involved: Federal coalition government (CDU/CSU‑SPD), employers, employees, health‑insurance providers, and labour unions.
Likely next: Legislative drafting and parliamentary debate, potential pushback from unions, introduction of digital verification tools, and monitoring of sick‑leave statistics for impact assessment.
The governing coalition plans to make sick‑leave certification more burdensome for workers after noting persistently high sick‑leave rates across many firms. The move aims to reduce fraudulent or excessive absenteeism but will increase paperwork for employees and possibly raise compliance costs for employers. It fits within a broader reform push that includes tax and labour‑market measures.
Timeline
- — AU‑Pflicht: Das gilt künftig bei Krankschreibungen im Job (Handelsblatt)
Analysis — what this means
Likely next events
- Draft legislation to be debated in the Bundestag within weeks.
- Official sick‑leave statistics will be watched for any early decline.
Sectors affected
- Healthcare
- Human Resources
- Insurance
- Manufacturing
Regulatory implications
- Stricter medical certification process for sick leave.
- Updated reporting obligations for firms to submit sick‑note data to authorities.
Historical parallels
- 2015 German sick‑note reform that introduced electronic certificates.
- 2018 UK fit‑note tightening aimed at reducing fraudulent claims.
- 2020 French government crackdown on unjustified absenteeism in the public sector.
Key entities
Sources
- AU‑Pflicht: Das gilt künftig bei Krankschreibungen im Job — Handelsblatt