Warken wants to review the rules of sick leave - DAK company publishes new figures on sick leave
The Federal Minister of Health in Germany is seeking to re-examine the system of sick leave via phone, amid concerns about misuse, at a time when new data shows that employee absenteeism rates remain at historically high levels.
Health Minister Nina Farken announced her intention to review the current rules that allow for obtaining sick leave by phone, confirming that the ruling coalition parties have agreed to prevent any potential abuse. She stated in a statement to the Tagesspiegel newspaper that the current laws will be tested with the aim of reaching practical solutions.
This move came after Chancellor Friedrich Merz renewed his criticisms of the high average number of sick days in Germany. He pointed out that the circulating figures do not even include short absences of one or two days, which means that the actual rate could be much higher, reflecting a broader structural problem.
Mirts confirmed that the phenomenon is not limited to the private sector, but also includes the public sector. He considered that telephone medical certificates represent one of the reasons for this increase, noting that many doctors doubt the possibility of assessing the ability to work without a direct examination of the patient. He added that his recent statements received widespread support.
The data from the health insurance company DAK-Gesundheit seems to support these concerns, as it reported that employees were absent on average 19.5 calendar days last year, a figure very close to the previous year's level. Respiratory diseases, mental disorders, and musculoskeletal issues such as back pain were among the main reasons for absenteeism.
For his part, DAK President Andreas Sturm stated that sick leave levels are stabilizing at a high level, calling for in-depth research to understand the reasons. He proposed holding a national summit that includes employers, unions, doctors, and health insurance companies, and also suggested the idea of 'partial sick leave,' which allows employees to work reduced hours instead of completely stopping work in certain medical cases.