Can you be fired while on sick leave?:
Does being sick protect you from being fired? An expert explains when employers are within their rights and when they need ...
stuttgarter-nachrichten.de/inhalt.arbeitsrecht-darf-man-waehrend-der-krankschreibung-gekuendigt-werden.4c138078-3c40-4166-a55a-de5e06b0f6b9.html
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Termination Rights During Employee IllnessIn 2025, employees averaged 19.5 sick days; dismissal during illness is usually allowed but exceptions apply in special cases.
Key FactsFeb 3, 2026 · Reading time: ~45 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: stuttgarter-nachrichten.de
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: stuttgarter-nachrichten.de
- Being on sick leave does not automatically prevent termination, as German law permits dismissals during illness or vacation periods.
- Dismissals must not violate good morals, such as terminating an employee during a hospital stay or on significant holidays like Christmas Eve.
- Termination due to frequent absences is possible if future illness is expected and it severely impacts the employer’s business interests.
- The average sick leave in 2025 was 9.8 days, with older workers absent longer, and mental health conditions increasingly contributing to work absences.
It is possible to terminate an employee during illness or vacation.— Volker Görzel, specialist lawyer for labor law, explains the legal framework for dismissals during sick leave.
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