German workers must now visit a doctor in person to obtain a medical certificate for a single sick day [1].
The policy change aims to reduce absenteeism and increase national productivity by making it more difficult for employees to take short-term leave without a physical examination [1, 2].
Under the previous system, workers could obtain a medical certificate by phone on the third day of illness [2]. The new regulations remove this flexibility, requiring a face-to-face consultation regardless of the duration of the illness [1, 2].
Chancellor Friedrich Merz addressed the need for the crackdown, citing concerns over the current rate of employee absence. "The number of sick days is too high," Merz said [1].
Government officials said the current volume of sick leave is excessively high, arguing that the change is necessary to stabilize the workforce, and ensure economic output [1, 2]. The move shifts the burden of proof for illness from a telephonic confirmation to a verified in-person visit — a change that affects all employees across the country [1].
Critics of the measure may point to the added pressure on the healthcare system, as thousands of workers who previously used phone consultations must now secure physical appointments for single-day absences [1, 2]. However, the administration said the priority is correcting productivity losses [1].
“"The number of sick days is too high."”
This shift represents a hardening of labor relations in Germany, moving away from a trust-based system of sick leave toward a more stringent verification process. By removing the option for phone-based certificates on the third day, the government is leveraging the friction of physical doctor visits to discourage casual absenteeism, signaling that productivity targets are currently outweighing worker flexibility in the national economic strategy.
