Scoopfeeds — Intelligent news, curated.
German row over plan for workers to need sick note on first day of illness
top

German row over plan for workers to need sick note on first day of illness

BBC News · Jul 3, 2026, 2:56 PM · Also reported by 1 other source

Key takeaways

  • Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the number of sick days in Germany was "too high"
  • A row has broken out in Germany after the coalition government announced changes to sick-leave rules, requiring Germans to provide a doctor's note to their employers on the first day of their illness.
  • The changes also mean workers will not be able to obtain the note by phone, scrapping a measure brought in due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Why this matters: a developing story that could shape the day's news cycle.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the number of sick days in Germany was "too high"

A row has broken out in Germany after the coalition government announced changes to sick-leave rules, requiring Germans to provide a doctor's note to their employers on the first day of their illness.

The changes also mean workers will not be able to obtain the note by phone, scrapping a measure brought in due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Article preview — originally published by BBC News. Full story at the source.
Read full story on BBC News → More top stories

Also covered by

Aggregated and edited by the Scoop newsroom. We surface news from BBC News alongside other reporting so you can compare coverage in one place. Editorial policy · Corrections · About Scoop