Overview
- The governing black-red coalition's Koalitionsausschuss decided to shift the medical-attestation requirement to the first day of illness and to end telephone-based sick notes.
- The decision was announced by Chancellor Friedrich Merz but is not law yet because it must be converted into a bill and approved by the Bundestag.
- In a Bundestag debate on Friday opposition parties and some SPD speakers strongly criticized the plan as showing mistrust of workers and likely to push sick people into doctor offices or to work.
- Medical bodies and the Sozialverband Deutschland warned the change would increase pressure on general-practice appointments, worsen access to care, and raise the risk of people working while ill.
- Under current law an attestation is only required after three calendar days unless an employer already demands it, and the six-week entitlement to continued full pay would not change under the coalition plan.