Discussion on sick leave: Return to mandatory medical certificates from the first day?
The new German federal government is planning an important change in the healthcare system: in the future, employees will be required to submit a medical certificate from the very first day of their illness. This would abolish the current regulation, which allowed for sick leave to be certified via telephone.
The planned change is already sparking heated debate. Proponents of the measure argue that stricter control is necessary to reduce the rate of absenteeism in German companies. They hope that requiring a personal visit to the doctor will reduce the number of short-term absences.
However, medical associations are sharply criticizing the plans, describing them as "symbolic politics." They warn that medical practices could become overwhelmed by the additional bureaucracy. Furthermore, physicians fear that patients with minor infections will come to waiting rooms unnecessarily, which increases the risk of other patients becoming infected as well.
Employee representatives are also critical of the plans. They emphasize that telephone-based sick leave has been an efficient way in recent years to relieve the burden on the healthcare system and to keep sick employees at home instead of sending them to crowded doctor's offices.
Whether and when this change will actually come into effect remains to be seen. The discussion shows how difficult it is to find a balance between controlling absenteeism and providing efficient medical care. The coming weeks will show how the government responds to the criticism from experts.