Germany's Overnight Labour Reform Mandates In-Person Sick Notes, Sparks Doctor Outcry
03.07.2026 - 09:04:44 | boerse-global.de
Germany’s governing coalition passed a sweeping overhaul of labour law during a late-night session, scrapping the option for workers to obtain a sick note by phone and requiring a doctor’s certificate from the very first day of illness. Chancellor Merz had previously described the country’s high rate of sick leave as a “significant competitive disadvantage.”
Under the new rules, employees must now visit a practice in person or use a video consultation to receive a medical certificate for any period of incapacity. The previous four-day grace period before an attestation was needed has been abolished. The change eliminates a system introduced at the end of 2023 that allowed telephone sick notes for minor ailments.
Penalties for issuing false health certificates under Section 278 of the Criminal Code have also been tightened. However, exceptions remain possible through individual agreements, works council arrangements, or collective bargaining contracts.
Broader Economic Package
The sick-note requirement is one element of a 34-point package aimed at boosting the economy. Companies will now be able to offer fixed-term contracts without a specific reason for up to 48 months – double the previous 24-month limit. Up to six contract extensions are permitted within that period.
For top earners with an annual income above €177,000, the coalition is relaxing dismissal protection. Severance payments for employees who switch jobs quickly are to receive more favourable tax treatment. A tax reform planned for 2027 is designed to relieve small and middle incomes while increasing levies on the wealthy.
Fierce Backlash from Medical Bodies and Unions
Reaction to the package has been sharply divided. Employer associations including the BDA and Metall NRW welcomed the measures as vital for safeguarding competitiveness. The medical profession sees it very differently. Dr. Markus Blumenthal-Beier of the German Association of General Practitioners called the change an “absolute catastrophe” and warned of a “huge wave of bureaucracy,” predicting that millions of extra patients would overwhelm clinics.
The National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) labelled the plans “insanity,” arguing that patients are being forced to visit surgeries merely to have paperwork completed. Health ministers from the SPD and representatives of the Greens cautioned against a blanket suspicion of employees. Trade unions ver.di and the DGB described the reform as “a sign of distrust.”
Experts point out that telephone sick notes have recently accounted for only 0.8 to 1.2 percent of all medical certificates, and that higher recorded sick-leave figures are partly due to improved digital tracking rather than an actual rise in illness.
