German Chancellor Merz and Bavarian PM Söder Criticize High Sick Leave Rates, Propose Policy Overhaul

Chancellor Friedrich Merz has publicly criticized Germany’s high sick leave rates, questioning whether the average of 14.5 sick days per employee is truly necessary. Speaking at a campaign event in Bad Rappenau, Merz expressed concerns about the impact of such absenteeism on productivity and called for a discussion on incentives for returning to work. He specifically targeted the telephone sick leave policy, introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, proposing its potential abolition and indicating plans to consult coalition partner SPD on reforming sick leave regulations.

Supporting Merz’s stance, Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder recommended reintroducing waiting days, where wage continuation would start only after an initial period of illness, suggesting sick leave should begin from the third day of absence. Söder criticized the perceived speed with which sick leave is often granted and, along with the CSU party, called for ending electronic sick notes, citing a 40% rise in sick days since their introduction. CSU parliamentary leader Alexander Hoffmann emphasized that these reforms were necessary to restore Germany’s economic competitiveness.

However, the AOK health insurance company disputed the attribution of rising sick leave rates to telephone sick notes. They pointed out that telephone sick leave is used in only a minority of cases and argue that improved electronic reporting systems mainly account for the increase in recorded sick days. The Federal Statistical Office similarly confirmed that the rise in absenteeism from 2021 to 2024 can be linked largely to more comprehensive data collection, not to changes in sick leave policy.

This debate has reignited discussions about labor productivity and working hours in Germany, with the CSU even proposing to abolish the current working hours law—a move the SPD warns could undermine worker health. As these political discussions unfold, calls for reform reflect deep concerns over balancing employee health protections with economic efficiency.