CDU calls for end to telephone sick notes - Germany's CDU Pushes to Ban Phone Sick Notes Amid Absenteeism Concerns

The CDU has called for an end to phone sick notes in Germany. At a party conference in Stuttgart, delegates backed a proposal to scrap the current system, which allows patients to obtain sick leave without visiting a doctor in person. The move follows criticism from Chancellor Friedrich Merz over rising absence rates and concerns about the validity of such notes.

Health Minister Nina Warken has now announced a review of the existing regulations. The debate centres on whether phone consultations make it too easy for employees to take time off work.

Under the current rules, patients with mild symptoms can receive a sick note over the phone if they are already known to their GP. This covers up to five calendar days without the need for an in-person appointment. The CDU argues that the system is open to abuse and encourages unnecessary sick leave.

Chancellor Merz recently highlighted high absence rates and questioned whether phone sick notes were being issued too freely. His comments came as the Mittelstands- und Wirtschaftsunion, a business-focused wing of the CDU, put forward a motion to abolish the practice entirely. Party members in Stuttgart voted in favour of the proposal, signalling a push for stricter controls.

The government has yet to release official statistics on how often phone sick notes are used. But Health Minister Warken confirmed that the regulation would now be examined. A decision could affect millions of workers who currently rely on remote consultations for short-term illness.

The CDU's plan to end phone sick notes will now move to the next stage of review. If approved, employees would have to visit a doctor in person to obtain a sick note, even for minor illnesses. The change aims to reduce absenteeism but could place extra pressure on GP surgeries already facing high demand.