Do Germans really call in sick too often?:
Do Germans call in sick too quickly? The CDU/CSU and employers see a major problem. The DGB warns against a general ...
tagesschau.de/inland/innenpolitik/krankschreibungen-bundesregierung-krankenkassen-100.html
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German centre-right political party
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After the Chancellor's statement - | Head of the statutory health insurance physicians agrees with Merz: "Very high rate of sick leave"
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Key FactsHigh Sick Leave and Criticism of Phone Medical Notes
Jan 18, 2026 · Reading time: ~45 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: stuttgarter-nachrichten.de
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: stuttgarter-nachrichten.de
- The head of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians agrees with Chancellor Merz that Germany’s sick leave rate is very high.
- Phone-issued medical certificates encourage misuse since true incapacity to work cannot be reliably assessed remotely.
- Merz calls for creating incentives that encourage employees to work and questions the necessity of phone sick notes introduced in 2021.
- The KBV advocates eliminating phone sick notes and the requirement to present a medical certificate within the first three days.
Merz is absolutely right: Germany has a very high sickness rate compared to international standards.— Andreas Gassen, chairman of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians, comments in an interview with the Tagesspiegel on Chancellor Merz's statements regarding the sickness rate in Germany.
Debate about absenteeism: Panel doctors support Merz's criticism of high sick leave rates
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Health insurance companies disagree: Merz blames high sick leave on telephone sick notes
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