Overview
- An internal CSU draft for its January 6 caucus meeting proposes abolishing telephone-based sick notes introduced during the pandemic.
- The draft cites a 40% increase in absences since 2021 and argues that a doctor visit is appropriate to confirm inability to work.
- The current rule, made permanent in late 2023, lets doctors issue up to five days of sick leave by phone, with extensions requiring an in-person visit.
- Employer representatives, including BDA president Rainer Dulger, back ending phone certifications, while the Iges Institute says they are not driving higher sickness rates.
- Related CSU proposals include bringing forward a planned corporate tax cut to July 1, 2026 if the budget allows, as OECD and AOK data show Germany’s sick-leave averages remain high.