Businesses in Germany push to end sick pay on first day of illness

In Germany, businesses are advocating for the elimination of sick pay on the first day of illness. This follows a report showing that employees average over 15 sick days per year, prompting claims of misuse by some business leaders. Doctors attribute the high sick leave rates to increased infections and chronic illnesses, partly due to the pandemic's lingering effects. They argue that recent changes allowing phone requests for sick leave have not led to significant misuse. The proposal to cut sick pay has faced strong opposition from unions, who warn it could lead to more people working while sick. Germany has a long-standing policy of providing full sick pay from the first day of illness, established to prevent workplace infections.