Linder advocates for the reintroduction of abolishing telephonic sick leave.
The Finance Minister, Lindner from the FDP, is pushing for the end of the practice of obtaining sick notes over the phone. He asserted at a VCI event in Berlin that, moving forward, individuals will need to physically visit their doctors to report sickness instead of using the phone.
Lindner is not implying any misuse of the policy, but he noted a link between Germany's annual sick leave rate and the introduction of this simplified method. The option of obtaining a sick note via phone call was established during the Corona pandemic, and in December 2023, the Joint Federal Committee of doctors, health insurance companies, and clinics ratified this permanent arrangement.
Federal government examination
Patients can still secure a phone-based sick note if they are recognized by their doctor's practice and do not exhibit severe health symptoms as part of their ongoing illness. As part of its Economic Growth Initiative, the federal government has decided to examine this practice due to the surge in sick leave cases.
Lindner also announced his intention to advocate for the elimination of the solidarity surcharge with the upcoming federal chancellor. In his view, the solidarity surcharge is a "special tax levied primarily on factors crucial for economic growth, such as motivation, qualifications, entrepreneurship, and personal investment." Given adequate political determination, the phasing out of the debt brake might still be feasible, even with substantial investments, he suggested.
The Finance Minister, Lindner, expressed concern about the potential impact of the phrase "obtaining a sick note via phone call" on Germany's annual sick leave rate, citing it as a factor in his push for physical visits. Due to the surge in sick leave cases, the federal government, as part of its Economic Growth Initiative, has decided to examine this practice.
