How To Take Sick Leave in Germany [2026 Guide] - Live In Germany

In Germany, employees are entitled to up to six weeks of fully paid sick leave per illness, with continued salary paid by their employer. After that, statutory health insurance (Krankenversicherung) steps in with Krankengeld (sick pay) worth roughly 70% of your gross salary. According to Destatis, German workers took an average of 15.1 sick days in 2024, one of the highest rates in Europe.

Back in 2018, I came down with a bad flu in Freiburg and had no idea how the system worked. A colleague pointed me toward my Hausarzt (primary care doctor), who issued what Germans call a gelber Schein (the yellow sick note, officially an Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung). Suddenly everything made sense.

This guide covers everything you need to know about germany sick leave: how to get a german sick note or doctors note germany, what the germany sick leave policy actually requires from you and your employer, how the digital eAU has replaced the old paper gelber schein, what happens when a child falls ill (child sickness benefit germany), and the erkältung nur 3 tage krankgeschrieben rule that catches a lot of newcomers off guard. Whether you just started a new job or you’ve been here for years, the rules aren’t always obvious. Here’s the full picture.

How to Inform Your Employer About Sick Leave in Germany

To call in sick in Germany, you must notify your employer on your first day of absence before your shift starts if possible. This is a basic requirement under Germany sick leave policy regardless of how long you end up being off.

The Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung (certificate of incapacity for work, often called the gelber Schein or german sick note) becomes legally required after three consecutive sick days. Your employer must receive it by the fourth day at the latest. That said, many companies require it sooner. Some ask for it from day one. If you have just started a new job, check your employment contract or ask HR directly. Do not assume the three-day rule applies to you.

Getting a german doctors note on day one is genuinely good practice. It removes any ambiguity and protects you if your employer has a stricter internal policy.

Steps to Follow While Taking Sick Leave in Germany

Taking sick leave in Germany follows a clear three-step process, and getting it right from the start protects both your income and your job.

Notify your employer immediately. As soon as you know you cannot come in, contact your employer before your shift starts. Whether that means a call, email, or WhatsApp message depends entirely on your workplace. Ask your HR department or supervisor upfront what they prefer. Ideally do this during your first week.

Get a doctor’s note (Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung). Under Germany’s sick leave policy, you generally need a medical certificate from day four of illness, though many employers require one from day one. Visit your

Send the sick note to your employer and health insurer. The Gelber Schein comes in three copies: one for your employer (“Ausfertigung zur Vorlage beim Arbeitgeber”), one for your Krankenkasse (statutory health insurer), and one for your own records. Since 2023, most employers receive this digitally via the eAU (elektronische Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung) system, though your insurer may still expect a physical copy.

Reasons for Sick Leave in Germany

Germany’s sick leave system covers a wider range of situations than many expats expect. Physical illness is the obvious one, but mental health conditions, burnout, and stress-related disorders are fully recognized under Germany’s sick leave policy as legitimate reasons to be signed off work. Your doctor doesn’t distinguish between a broken leg and severe anxiety when it comes to issuing a german sick note.

There’s also an important distinction between short-term and long-term sick leave. Short-term leave typically covers minor or temporary conditions, while long-term leave applies when a serious physical or mental illness keeps you off work beyond six weeks. After that six-week threshold, your employer’s continued wage payment obligation ends and your Krankenkasse (statutory health insurance fund) steps in with Krankengeld (sick pay benefit).

One thing that surprises a lot of people is that caring for a sick child also falls under the sick leave umbrella. Under § 45 SGB V, parents with statutory insurance are entitled to child sickness benefit (Kinderkrankengeld) when their child needs care at home. As of 2026, each parent can claim up to 15 days per child per year, or 30 days if raising the child alone.

What Does a Sick Note Look Like?

The official German sick note is called the Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung (certificate of incapacity for work), though most people just call it the gelber Schein (yellow slip) because it used to be printed on yellow paper. When your doctor issues one, it comes in three copies, each serving a different purpose.

The first copy goes directly to your Krankenversicherung (statutory health insurance provider). Since 2022, most practices transmit this digitally, so you rarely need to handle it yourself. The second copy is for your employer and shows only the duration of your sick leave, not your diagnosis. Your employer has no legal right to know what illness you have, and your doctor will never disclose it. The third copy is your personal record to keep.

One thing worth knowing: always tell your doctor at the start of the appointment that you need a sick note. Don’t leave it as an afterthought at the door. The doctor decides how many days to certify based on your diagnosis, and that number is entirely their clinical judgment.

Do I Always Need a Sick Note?

Not always, but the default rule under Germany’s sick leave policy is straightforward: you must provide an Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung (AU-Bescheinigung, or sick note) if your illness lasts more than three calendar days. That means if you call in sick on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday count toward your three days, so Monday is already day four.

That said, many employers require a sick note from day one. Your employment contract or company handbook will specify this, so it is worth checking before you actually need it. Some companies have quietly moved to a “from day four” rule to reduce GP pressure, but others still require documentation immediately.

One practical tip: even if you think you will recover quickly, getting a German doctors note on day one or two is smart. Illnesses have a way of dragging on, and having documented proof from a doctor protects you if your employer later questions the absence.

The gelber Schein (yellow certificate, now increasingly issued digitally as eAU) is what your Hausarzt (family doctor) issues. According to the GKV-Spitzenverband, the transition to fully digital AU certificates was completed across statutory health insurers by 2023, so your employer receives the certificate electronically in most cases now.

Does Germany Have Paid Sick Leave?

Yes, Germany has paid sick leave, and the protections are genuinely strong. Under the Entgeltfortzahlungsgesetz (Continued Remuneration Act), your employer is legally required to pay your full salary for up to six weeks if you cannot work due to illness. This applies regardless of whether the illness is physical or mental.

There is one important exception. If you fall ill within the first four weeks of starting a new job, your employer is not yet obligated to pay. In that case, your statutory health insurance, the Krankenversicherung, steps in and covers you instead.

Once you have been off sick for more than six consecutive weeks with the same illness, your employer’s obligation ends and Krankengeld (sick pay from your health insurer) kicks in. According to the GKV-Spitzenverband, Krankengeld is paid at roughly 70% of your gross salary, up to a maximum daily amount, and can continue for up to 78 weeks within a rolling three-year period for the same condition.

Can You Claim Sick Pay If You Are Privately Insured?

Privately insured employees cannot claim Krankengeld (statutory sick pay) from a public insurer. Instead, your coverage depends entirely on whether your private tariff includes Krankentagegeld, a daily sickness allowance that kicks in once you’ve been off work beyond a defined waiting period. If your tariff doesn’t include it, you carry that financial risk yourself.

This is especially critical for freelancers and the self-employed. There’s no employer continuing your salary, and no public safety net automatically stepping in, so a two-week illness can genuinely dent your income if you haven’t planned for it. According to GKV-Spitzenverband data, the average duration of a sick leave episode in Germany in 2026 is around 13 days. That’s long enough to matter financially.

Ottonova, an English-friendly private health insurer popular with expats, includes Krankentagegeld as part of certain tariff tiers. The amount you receive per day is agreed when you sign your policy, so comparing tariffs before you need them is the only sensible approach. If you’re privately insured and unsure whether your current plan includes daily sickness benefit, check your policy documents under the Krankentagegeld clause before your next sick day arrives.

How Much Does a Worker Receive For Sick Paid Leave in Germany?

Krankengeld (statutory sick pay from your health insurer) is calculated as either 70% of your gross monthly salary or 90% of your Nettolohn (take-home pay after tax and social contributions), whichever figure is lower. Your regular social contributions continue to be deducted from that amount. These include pension, long-term care, and unemployment insurance.

There is a cap. According to the GKV-Spitzenverband, the maximum Krankengeld in 2026 is calculated based on the contribution assessment ceiling, which works out to roughly €116.38 gross per day. That translates to a maximum of around €3,491 gross per month, or approximately €3,068 net after deductions. No matter how high your salary climbs, you will not receive more than that.

You can calculate your exact entitlement using the official TK sick pay calculator below.

Can You Work Another Job During Sick Leave?

Working a second job while on sick leave in Germany is illegal, full stop. This applies whether it’s a registered Nebentätigkeit (secondary employment) or informal paid work on the side. If your employer or Krankenkasse (statutory health insurer) discovers you were working while claiming sick pay, the consequences can be severe: immediate termination without notice (fristlose Kündigung) and potential demands to repay the Krankengeld (sickness benefit) you received.

The logic behind this is straightforward. Sick leave exists because you are medically unfit to work. Performing paid tasks elsewhere directly contradicts the doctor’s assessment and is treated as a breach of good faith by German labor law.

That said, returning to work earlier than your Krankmeldung (sick note) specifies is perfectly legal if you feel better. Your employer may ask for a revised note with an updated end date, but there is no obligation to stay off until the last day of your certificate. What you cannot do is work somewhere else while remaining signed off sick from your primary employer.

How Many Sick Days Can an Employer Expect Each Year?

According to Destatis, German employees took an average of 15.1 sick days in 2024, and that figure has been trending upward. There is no hard legal cap on how many days you can take, but the number 30 comes up often in labour law discussions. Major unions and employment tribunals have historically treated around 30 sick days per year as the threshold beyond which an employer may start raising concerns.

If you regularly exceed that figure, particularly over several consecutive years, German labour courts may consider this a valid basis for a Krankheitsbedingte Kündigung (illness-related termination). That sounds alarming, but it is not automatic. Courts look at whether the absences are likely to continue, whether they cause unreasonable operational disruption, and whether the employer attempted reasonable accommodations first.

The key protection under Germany’s sick leave policy is that isolated illness, even if frequent in one year, cannot simply be used as a one-off reason to dismiss you. The pattern must be persistent, documented, and demonstrably burdensome to the employer. Your Krankenkasse (statutory health insurer) records and the medical certificates you submit, the Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung, become important evidence if things ever reach that point.

Requirements for Sickness Benefit

To qualify for Krankengeld (statutory sickness benefit), you need to meet a few clear conditions. First, you must be insured through a statutory health insurer (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung, or GKV) — private insurance operates under different rules, which I’ll cover below. Second, your doctor must have issued a formal certificate of incapacity, whether that’s the traditional gelber Schein or the newer digital eAU. Third, your employer must have stopped paying you, which typically happens after six weeks of continuous illness. Finally, if your Krankenkasse requests it, you must agree to an examination by the Medizinischer Dienst (MD), the independent medical review body.

For non-EU residents on a residence permit, your work authorisation must still be valid for Krankengeld to apply. According to the GKV-Spitzenverband, approximately 73 million people in Germany are covered under statutory insurance as of 2026, so the majority of employees will fall under these rules automatically.

Privately insured employees (PKV) are a different story. Whether you receive sickness benefit and how much depends entirely on your individual policy terms. If you are unsure what your contract covers, contact your insurer directly and ask specifically about Krankentagegeld (daily sickness allowance) provisions.

How to Apply For Sickness Benefits (Krankengeld) in Germany?

To claim Krankengeld (statutory sickness benefit), your doctor submits your Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung (AU-Bescheinigung, the incapacity-for-work certificate, formerly issued as a physical Gelber Schein on yellow paper) directly to your Krankenversicherung (statutory health insurance) electronically. You no longer need to hand-deliver it yourself in most cases.

Your employer also needs a copy. Most accept it by email, and you hand over the paper original when you return. If your employer specifically requires the original by post, you can send it as a tracked letter.

Once your insurer receives the certificate, they will write to confirm whether you qualify for Krankengeld and explain the next steps. According to GKV-Spitzenverband, Krankengeld in 2026 is paid at 70% of your gross salary, capped at 90% of your Nettolohn (net salary after deductions), and kicks in from the 43rd day of illness. If you do not qualify, your insurer will typically point you toward Arbeitslosengeld (unemployment benefit) or other relevant support through the Bundesagentur für Arbeit.

Conclusion

Germany’s sick leave system is genuinely one of the better ones in the world, but it only works smoothly when you understand the rules. You need your German sick note (the Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung, or gelber Schein) from day one if your employer requires it, or by day three at the latest under the standard Germany sick leave policy. Your employer continues paying your full salary for up to six weeks, and after that your Krankenkasse (statutory health insurer) steps in with Krankengeld at roughly 70 percent of your gross salary. According to the GKV-Spitzenverband, over 11 million Krankengeld cases were processed in Germany in 2024, which tells you this system gets used constantly and is well-established.

One thing the original version of this article got right: taking germany sick leave repeatedly without genuine illness is a fast route to a termination. Courts in Germany have consistently upheld dismissals based on patterns of suspicious absence, so treat the system fairly and it will treat you fairly in return.

If you have children, child sickness benefit germany rules give you an additional 15 days per child per parent in 2026, paid at the same rate as Krankengeld. That is worth knowing before you need it.

My honest final tip: get yourself a Hausarzt (regular family doctor) registered before you get sick. Trying to find a doctor who will take you as a new patient while you have a fever is genuinely miserable. Sort that out now.