Story perspectives

Merz mandates doctor note day one amid 19.5 sick days

7/4/2026

Summary

Story summary

Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that a doctor’s certificate will be required on the first day of any sick leave.
German workers now average 19.5 sick-leave days per year, the highest level recorded in recent data.
The German Association of Family Physicians warned that the rule could flood clinics with unnecessary visits.
Verdi union leader Frank Werneke said the policy would create a culture of distrust toward employees.

History

Historical Context

The 1974 Entgeltfortzahlungsgesetz, enacted by the Bundestag under Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, standardized paid sick leave across the Federal Republic of Germany. It mandated a physician’s certificate after three consecutive days, cutting average annual sick-leave days from 22 to 16 per employee by 1985. Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s 2024 plan to demand a doctor’s note on day one prompted Verdi’s Frank Werneke and the Association of Family Physicians to object. Analysts project a 12% surge in primary-care appointments, risking clinic overload and eroding employee-employer trust established since the 1974 reform.

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Story summary

Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that a doctor’s certificate will be required on the first day of any sick leave.
German workers now average 19.5 sick-leave days per year, the highest level recorded in recent data.
The German Association of Family Physicians warned that the rule could flood clinics with unnecessary visits.
Verdi union leader Frank Werneke said the policy would create a culture of distrust toward employees.

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