Overview
- Reporting on Friday, August 21, 2026, German outlets reiterated that Paragraph 9 of the Bundesurlaubsgesetz says days when an employee is medically unable to work during holiday are not counted against annual leave.
- Employees must prove incapacity with a medical certificate to reclaim days; for people covered by statutory insurance the electronic sick note (eAU) is the standard proof inside Germany.
- The eAU procedure does not apply abroad, so travelers must see a local doctor, get a written certificate that states work incapacity, and tell their employer their location and the expected duration without delay.
- Sick days are credited back to the employee’s leave account but are not automatically added to the running holiday; if fit at the planned end of vacation the worker must return to work and later request the recredited days.
- Employment lawyers advise keeping detailed records—medical notes, dates, communications and travel details—seeking a doctor’s assessment before travel while sick, and acting quickly to avoid disputes and to preserve rights that generally expire 15 months after the vacation year.