Sick pay: What you need to know
In Germany sick pay is provided if you cannot work due to an illness or injury for an extended period of time. This means you can focus on what matters most: getting fit and healthy again!
What to do if you fall ill
If you are employed in Germany and fall ill and unable to work, you have the right to take paid sick leave. However, there are a number of steps you need to follow, to make sure the process runs smoothly:
- Tell your employer. The first thing you must do if you fall ill and cannot work is notify your employer. You don't have to tell them the reason for your sick leave. There are no set rules on when you require a confirmation of your sickness from the doctor. Some workplaces may require it on the first day that you can't work. Others may allow a few days without one. It is best to check your employment contract.
- Consult your doctor. Schedule an appointment with your family doctor during their consultation hours. Our doctor guide lists practices close to you. Remember to also take your eHealth card with you.
- Get confirmation of your illness. Have a confirmation that you are unable to work issued by your doctor. In German, this confirmation is knows as an Arbeitsunfähigkeits-Bescheinigung [statement of fitness for work].
Important: There is no set limit on the number of sick days you may take in Germany. As a rule, your contract of employment cannot be terminated due to illness.
What is the "Arbeitsunfähigkeits-Bescheinigung" and why is it so important?
After you have seen the doctor and have been written off sick, the practice transmits a certificate on your fitness for work digitally to us. This certificate is referred to as the "Arbeitsunfähigkeits-Bescheinigung" in German. This means we receive this information directly from the practice.
If the practice cannot send the confirmation digitally, you will receive a paper copy stating "zur Vorlage bei der Krankenkasse". You have to send this copy to us. The easiest way to do this is via the TK-App: take a photo, upload, done!
Alternatively, you can send the copy by post to. A street address is not required here:
Techniker Krankenkasse
20908 Hamburg
Since 1 January 2023, a copy of the certificate on your fitness for work is no longer issued as standard for your employer or the "Bundesagentur für Arbeit" [Federal Employment Agency]. They will request the information on your incapacity to work directly from us. You therefore do not have to send a copy to them. The copy intended for your employer or the employment agency and does not include a diagnosis on it.
Your doctor will provide you with a copy of this certificate for your records. This certificate is labelled "Ausfertigung für Versicherte" [copy for insuree]. Your doctor notes your diagnosis in the form of a code, called the ICD diagnosis code, on the Arbeitsunfähigkeits-Bescheinigung for the health insurance fund.
If you are being treated as an inpatient in hospital and receive sick pay, you have to request a "Liegebescheindigung" which translates as a certificate of hospitalisation. Please send this to us instead of the sick note.
"Entgeltfortzahlung" - continued payment from your employer
Your employer usually continues to pay you your salary for the first 6 weeks of your illness. This period of time is called "Entgeltfortzahlung" in German, which translates as continued remuneration.
If, after this time, you are still unable to work, you will receive sick pay from us, your health insurer, as of week 7. This also applies if you are treated as an inpatient in a hospital or a rehabilitation centre.
Video: Your sick pay guide
Is sick pay paid automatically after 6 weeks?
No, we will send you a questionnaire which you have to complete. You can also do this online . Please note, however, that this online service is currently only available in German.
As soon as your doctor writes you off sick from work, the "Arbeitsunfähigkeits-Bescheinigung" is sent automatically to us.
How much sick pay will I get?
Sick pay is normally 70 per cent of your gross income, up to a maximum of 90 per cent of your net salary. The exact calculation may vary, as one-off payments such as Christmas or holiday pay are also taken into account. Employees can use our German-language sick pay calculator to work out how much sick pay they will receive. Sick pay is calculated for every day you are unable to work, including weekends and public holidays. A full month comprises 30 days, even if it actually has 28 or 31 days.
You can receive up to 128.63 EUR (2025) per day. You may have to pay contributions to statutory social insurance (pension, long-term care and unemployment insurance). You do not pay any contributions to us during this time.
If you are self-employed , your sick pay is 70 per cent of your earned income.
Important: In your tax return you must state if you received sick pay. We transfer details on the amount and duration of your sick pay to the tax authority automatically. The tax office then sends you a confirmation. You must keep this as it is important for your tax return.
How is sick pay paid?
We pay sick pay retrospectively. This means that you will subsequently receive it for the days on which you were ill.
This is regulated by law for the following reasons:
- When the doctor writes you off sick, he or she estimates how long you are likely to be ill.
- You may recover more quickly. We are only allowed to pay sick pay for the days you were ill.
- We therefore only transfer the money when you submit a new sick note or are healthy once again.
Example:
| Date of visit to doctor's practice | What happens? |
|---|---|
| 24 November |
|
| 4 January |
|
| 15 January |
|
| 26 January |
|
We transfer sick pay to you as soon as possible. The money usually arrives in your account within 1 to 3 working days.
The TK-App: what you need to know at your fingertips
Click on "Overviews" and "Sick notes" in the TK-App to see whether we have received your sick note. If you are receiving sick pay, you will find details on the sick pay which has been paid and other important information unter "Sick pay".
How long will I receive sick pay?
You can receive sick pay for a maximum of 78 weeks within 3 years for the same illness. These 78 weeks include:
- Periods in which you are unable to work due to the same illness.
- Periods in which your sickness benefit is paused or suspended. These are, for example, periods in which you still receive a salary from your employer, payments from the employment office, income from self-employment or temporary payment during a period of rehabilitation.
If you start to suffer from a second illness whilst you are unable to work, you will still only receive sick pay for 78 weeks. You can only receive sick pay again when a new 3-year period begins.
Fit for work again?
That's great news! As soon as you are fit for work again, let us know. We will then transfer your last sickness benefit up to the last day on which you were written off work.