German Chancellor Friedrich Merz outlined a package of pension, tax and labor reforms on Thursday, along with measures to cut red tape that he said would boost growth, jobs and competitiveness while maintaining social welfare protections.
Under the new employment standards regulations, employers cannot ask for a sick note for a worker’s first two health-related, short-term absences of five consecutive days or fewer in a calendar year.
“When you’re sick with the flu, or your child comes down with a cold, the last thing you should have to do is go to your doctor or a medical clinic to get a piece of paper saying you’re sick,” said Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Labour. “Unnecessary medical appointments take time away from patients who need to see their doctors and nurses, don’t help people get better any faster and risk further spread of illness.”
These changes are based on input from health-care providers, who pointed to scientific evidence that shows most minor illnesses for adults, such as a cold and influenza, have symptoms that typically resolve within five days.
Some universities are also switching the format of in person assessments to account for this. For example, adding an extra few quizzes and taking the best X out of Y quizzes so that students can miss a certain number of them with no documentation
On top of that, doctors will be under increased strain from having to write out the sick notes
I like what our province has done (BC, Canada)
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025LBR0041-001106
Some universities are also switching the format of in person assessments to account for this. For example, adding an extra few quizzes and taking the best X out of Y quizzes so that students can miss a certain number of them with no documentation