Germany, the country of the sick?

Is the number of sick people in Germany reaching new levels and endangering Germany as a business country? Is sick leave abused over the phone? The numbers that go around often give a false impression.

The number of people with a doctor's report is reaching new levels and is even endangering Germany as a place for businesses - this is the essence of many reports in recent days. "Der Spiegel" newspaper asks: "Is Germany a paradise for fraudsters?" Anonymous employees talk about how they took sick leave without actually having any health problems. Business demands that this trend be stopped.

The head of the automobile corporation Mercedes-Benz, Ola Källenius, told Spiegel: "The high level of ratios in Germany is a big problem for companies." The number of reports is twice as high as in other European countries. And this has consequences on the economy. Many companies complain and have shortened their forecasts for economic development, due to the large number of sick people with a doctor's report.

Record level of people with a doctor's report

Even before the wave of illnesses in the fall and winter, the number of workers with doctor's reports had risen to record levels. A study of 115 German industrial companies, commissioned by the consulting company EY, showed that only a few companies reported problems such as lack of motivation and sick leave.

According to some sources, the number of sick people has decreased slightly in 2023 with 22.4 days of absence per employee compared to the previous year. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has also made some comparisons between countries, for the level of the sick, where in the past years there was no big increase in Germany. But the latest statistics warn about the increase in the number of workers with reports from the doctor, the insurance companies warn. One of the reasons, as it is said, is the possibility of receiving the doctor's report by phone.

In Germany, it is possible to receive a doctor's report by phone for minor illnesses, up to five days. If the report should be continued, then the person should go to the doctor. Insurance companies and businesses warn that this increases the potential for misuse. There have also been requests to remove this possibility, but the ruling authorities have rejected these requests. /DW/ (A2 Televizion)