Merz Questions Continued Use of Telephone Sick Notes Amid Rising Absences

Debate has intensified in Germany over the continued use of telephone-based sick notes, as concerns have been raised about increasing rates of employee absences. Political leaders, particularly Friedrich Merz of the CDU, have suggested that the option to report illness by phone may be contributing to a rise in sick days. However, healthcare professionals and statistical analysts highlight other factors influencing the reported increase in work absences.

The introduction of telephone certification for sick leave was originally a temporary measure during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce the risk of infection in medical practices. Over time, the measure was extended and, as of late 2023, established as a permanent option under specific conditions. Patients are required to be known to their medical practice, and the method is reserved for cases without severe symptoms.

Recent data shows an average of approximately 14.5 sick days per employee annually in Germany. While some policymakers attribute this trend to the ease of obtaining sick leave by phone, medical associations dispute this claim. They argue that the method merely facilitates access to healthcare, rather than encouraging unnecessary absences. According to the German Association of General Practitioners, removing telephone-based sick notes would increase the administrative burden on medical practices without reducing the overall level of employee illness.

One of the primary reasons for the uptick in reported sick days is linked to changes in data collection. Since early 2022, the adoption of electronic sickness certificates (eAU) has led to more comprehensive and accurate reporting. Previously, many paper-based notifications never reached health insurers due to missed submissions by employees. The new digital process ensures that all issued certificates are transmitted directly to insurers, resulting in a more complete dataset and an apparent rise in statistics.

Another factor is the lack of a standard procedure for noting early returns to work. If an employee recovers and resumes work before the end of their certified sick period, this is only recorded by the employer, not the health insurer. As a result, the official data may overstate the actual number of days employees are absent due to illness.

Additionally, Germany has experienced heightened waves of respiratory infections and lingering effects from COVID-19, which have contributed to increased demand for medical attention and sick leave certifications. Research indicates that individuals recovering from COVID-19 are at higher risk for subsequent respiratory illnesses, further impacting sick leave statistics.

Multiple studies, including research by major health insurers and academic institutions, have found no evidence of widespread misuse of the telephone sick note system. Most employees and healthcare professionals view the policy as beneficial, reducing unnecessary exposure in waiting rooms and alleviating workloads for medical staff. In fact, current trends indicate that stricter employer requirements for early medical certification have led to more, rather than fewer, doctor visits for minor illnesses.

The ongoing political debate features calls for tighter regulations or even the retraction of telephone-based certification, with some groups suggesting measures such as waiting periods or reduced wage compensation. However, medical experts caution against such changes, warning that they could place undue strain on an already overburdened healthcare system without addressing the root causes of increased sick leave reporting.

As the discussion continues, the majority of evidence points toward improved data accuracy and public health trends, rather than procedural flaws in sickness certification, as the main drivers of the observed rise in sick days in Germany.