German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has once again sparked a heated debate about work ethic and the burden on the healthcare system in Europe’s strongest economy.

The Chancellor publicly reaffirmed his criticism of the record-high number of days workers spend on sick leave, warning that such a situation is becoming unsustainable for German companies, as well as for the public sector. As the German WELT writes, Merz places special emphasis on the practice of opening sick leave through an ordinary phone call, which he wants to abolish. He sees this procedure as one of the main factors contributing to a higher number of sick leave days.

The problem of remote diagnosis

The main point of contention in the German public right now is the so-called telephone sick leave. This practice was introduced during the coronavirus pandemic to reduce crowds in waiting rooms and prevent the spread of infection, but it has remained in place to this day. Merz and his associates from the Union ranks believe that such a model is now unnecessary and opens the door wide to abuse.

The Chancellor points out that even doctors themselves admit they cannot properly assess whether a patient is truly unfit for work if they have not personally examined them in the office. According to him, the average fourteen and a half sick leave days per worker annually does not reflect the real picture, because the shortest absences of one or two days are not included in that figure, meaning the actual loss of working hours is even greater.

Conflict between politics and the profession over the causes of illness

While the Chancellor sees the solution in abolishing concessions and encouraging people to return to their workplaces, opposition parties and some experts offer a completely different perspective. Former Health Minister Karl Lauterbach believes that the number of sick leave days should not be reduced through stricter rules and pressure on the sick, but through better preventive medicine, such as early detection of high blood pressure or curbing smoking. On the other hand, representatives of the left and trade unions warn that workers are simply overburdened.

They emphasize that politicians should be talking about the chronic staff shortage and poor working conditions that cause burnout, instead of indirectly reproaching employees for a lack of work ethic.

Statistics and the real picture on the ground

Official data from the Federal Statistical Office confirm the growing trend in work absences. During the past year, workers were on sick leave for almost fifteen days on average, which is a significant increase compared with the period a few years ago. Experts attribute part of that increase to the introduction of electronic certificates, which allow more precise recording of every absence, while health insurance studies show that the main causes of sick leave are actually respiratory illnesses. Despite the Chancellor’s doubts, some research indicates that most citizens support telephone sick leave because it saves them time and reduces the risk of additional infections in overcrowded doctors’ waiting rooms.

Between health and profit

The issue of sick leave in Germany has ceased to be merely a medical topic and has become a first-rate political issue that is breaking lances over the future of the German economy. While Merz seeks to strengthen the country’s economic performance by reducing absences, he faces resistance from those who believe that productivity cannot be built on exhausted and sick workers. The current coalition agreement provides for certain changes in the system of telephone sick notes in order to prevent abuse through private online platforms, but the complete abolition of this measure remains the subject of sharp political turmoil. Ultimately, Germany will have to find a balance between the flexibility demanded by the modern age and the control that ensures the stability of the labor market.