German chancellor Friedrich Merz announced sweeping tax, pension and labour reforms today, including that workers will now be required to get a medical certificate saying they’re too unwell to work from the first day of sick leave.
It can vary wildly country to country. Some have a small quota of sick days that don’t require doctor’s note, some require it for every day. Most started allowing getting doctors note remotely during the pandemic. Governments here generally take more interest in it because social security is usually expected to pay at least some part of your salary during sick leave. There’s also a separate concept of „leave on demand” / force majeure leave that can be treated similar to those sick days without doctor’s note (EU started to require it recently).
I thought Europe had good worker protection laws.
In the US, I just tell my manager I’m not feeling well, and take a sick day. No doctors notes.
Is this not how it works in Europe? Granted I am a salaried employee. I also work from home. So not hourly labor. Do these things factor in as well?
It can vary wildly country to country. Some have a small quota of sick days that don’t require doctor’s note, some require it for every day. Most started allowing getting doctors note remotely during the pandemic. Governments here generally take more interest in it because social security is usually expected to pay at least some part of your salary during sick leave. There’s also a separate concept of „leave on demand” / force majeure leave that can be treated similar to those sick days without doctor’s note (EU started to require it recently).