- Sick
- Inform your employer
- If needed, a doctor's certificate (AU)
- The practice sends the eAU
- Get well
Usually yes: your employer keeps paying for up to 6 weeks. This is called continued pay (Entgeltfortzahlung). After that, statutory health insurance usually pays sickness benefit (Krankengeld).
Get a doctor's certificate and inform your employer straight away. Abroad, also contact your health insurance fund.
People with statutory insurance can get child sickness benefit (Kinderkrankengeld) for caring for a sick child. You need a doctor's certificate for the child.
What this is about
If you're sick, you must inform your employer immediately – ideally before your shift starts. This applies whether or not you've already seen a doctor.
- Report in whatever way is normal at your workplace: call, email or message.
- Say that you're sick and how long you expect to be out.
- Report again if the illness lasts longer.
Doctor's certificate
How long you can be off without a certificate is set out in your employment contract or collective agreement (Tarifvertrag). Many workplaces require one from the fourth day, some already from the first.
- Check what your contract says.
- Go to the practice in good time – not just on the last day.
- An extension also has to be confirmed by a doctor.
Electronic sick note (eAU)
The practice sends your sick note electronically to your statutory health insurer. Your employer retrieves it from there. Usually you no longer have to hand in the yellow slip yourself.
- You'll still get a printout for your own records – keep it.
- You still have to inform your employer regardless.
- For private health insurance and some other cases, this process doesn't apply.
Pay while you're sick
If the legal conditions are met, your employer usually keeps paying your wage for up to six weeks. After that, sick pay (Krankengeld) from your health insurer may apply.
- Whether and for how long you're entitled depends on your employment.
- For longer illness, ask your health insurer early.
- It's the employer and health insurer who decide this, not MeaNext.
Concrete steps
- 1Inform your employer immediately.
- 2Check your contract for when a certificate is needed.
- 3Go to the doctor's practice in good time.
- 4Keep the printout and report again if the illness continues.
Terms on this page
Tap a word. The terms stay in German so you recognise them in letters and forms.
MeaNext explains general rules about work in Germany. This information does not replace individual legal advice. In a specific case, your employment contract, collective agreement, works agreement and personal circumstances can be decisive.