World of HR: Germany wants workers to prove illness for all sick days

It’s about to get a lot more difficult for workers in Germany to take a sick day.

Where in the world? Last month, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz introduced a new rule requiring workers who request sick leave to provide their employer a doctor’s note on the first day of their illness, according to Yahoo. Workers were previously required to provide a doctor’s note after three days of sick leave. During the Covid-19 pandemic, employees were allowed to obtain a doctor’s note from a telehealth appointment; now they must do so in-person.

Germany has historically been known for its generous time-off practices, including up to six weeks of fully paid sick leave.

However, it has seen sick leave skyrocket in recent years, with the average worker taking 19.5 sick days in 2025, the Australian Broadcasting Company (ABC) reported. The country has also seen a roughly 7% increase in mental health days. The chancellor said he is concerned that the extended time off is hurting productivity and the economy.

“Sick leave due to mental health issues is often associated with extended periods of absence,” Andreas Storm, chief executive at health provider DAK Gesundheit, told the ABC. “Companies are facing the challenge of having to compensate for a high number of lost workdays due to these illnesses.”

Medical groups and workers are concerned about the consequences of the new rules, the BBC reported.

“Anyone who is coughing or has a gastrointestinal infection belongs in bed—not in an overcrowded surgery,” KBV, a national physician association, said in a statement.

Satellite view. The US federal government does not mandate paid sick leave, and just 18 states require private employers to offer it to their employees, HR Brew reported previously.

In Feb., New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand introduced a bill that would guarantee seven days of sick leave for US workers.

“It is an international embarrassment that the United States of America remains the only major country on Earth not to guarantee paid sick days to workers,” co-sponsor Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said.