Due to the persistently high number of corona infections, the telephone sick leave for colds was extended again.
What you need to know now.
In the corona crisis *, patients with mild respiratory diseases can call for sick leave.
The special regulation has been in effect nationwide since Monday, October 19, 2020.
A survey showed how many employees * had already used the offer in March.
Sick leave extended again by phone - until March 31, 2021
Update from December 4, 2020
: Anyone who suffers from mild cold symptoms can also get
sick leave by phone
in the new year
.
The Federal Joint Committee (G-BA)
extended
its special regulation
by three months
on Wednesday (December 3)
.
Sick leave by phone is now possible
until March 31, 2021
.
With this, the G-BA is reacting to the currently high number of infections with Covid-19.
The following requirements apply for a telephone sick leave:
You suffer from
mild cold symptoms
such as cough, runny nose or sore throat.
Your doctor must convince himself of your health in a personal telephone call.
Doctors are encouraged to check whether a physical exam is necessary.
The
certificate of
incapacity for work (AU)
can be issued for
up to seven days
.
If the infection lasts longer, a
follow-up certificate
by phone for a further seven calendar days is possible.
The certificate of incapacity for work (AU) should not be picked up by the sick person himself, but by a healthy person.
This measure is intended to ensure that
fewer patients
flow
into the practices
and thus relieve them.
The
risk of infection
with the corona
virus
should also be significantly reduced.
Telephone sick leave has been permitted again since October 19; the special regulation was originally planned until December 31.
Suspected Covid-19 or unclear symptoms: Contact the practice
Regardless of this, the G-BA urgently advises you to
contact the doctor's practice by telephone
and to agree on how to proceed if the following conditions apply:
with typical Covid 19 symptoms
(
e.g.
fever, cough, loss of the sense of taste and smell, shortness of breath)
after
contact with Covid 19 patients
,
if
symptoms
of upper respiratory infections are
unclear
.
Also read:
Corona: Do I get a sick leave if I have to be in quarantine?
Telephone sick leave is possible again from Monday, October 19
Update from October 19, 2020
: Sick leave by phone has been
possible again
since
October 19
.
This was decided by the Federal Joint Committee in Health Care (G-BA) on October 15 in view of the increasing number of COVID-19 infections and the upcoming cold and flu season.
The special regulation for the corona crisis applies throughout Germany, initially limited
to December 31, 2020
.
Patients who suffer from mild respiratory diseases can call themselves
sick
for
up to seven calendar days
.
A one-time extension of the sick leave should be possible by telephone for a further seven calendar days, according to the press release.
“Regardless of the exception
rule
for telephone sick leave, insured
persons
should
contact the practice by telephone before visiting the doctor and discuss the next steps
if they have typical COVID-19 symptoms
, after contact with COVID-19 patients and if symptoms of upper respiratory infections are unclear “Advises the G-BA.
Special regulation for telephone sick leave has proven itself
The special regulation for telephone sick leave was introduced for the first time
from March to the end of May 2020
and had
noticeably relieved doctor's practices
in the first corona peak phase
.
The National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians therefore recently advocated reintroducing the regulation in view of the increasing number of corona infections in autumn and winter.
Sick leave by phone no longer possible since May 2020
Update from June 2, 2020
: It
is no longer possible to take
sick leave by phone
from now on.
The special regulation expired on May 31.
In other words: anyone who
needs to be on
sick leave because of a cold
now has to go to the doctor again.
Read here:
Instead of visiting the doctor: Sick leave by video possible - under these conditions
Telephone sick leave is only possible until the end of May
Update from May 19, 2020
:
Sick leave by phone
is
only
possible
until the end of May
.
According to a decision of the "Federal Joint Committee of Doctors, Clinics and Health Insurance Companies",
a visit to a doctor is necessary again from June 1 for a sick leave
, as reported by BR Online.
The end of the special regulation due to the Corona crisis is in line with the current assessment of the risk situation, said the chairman of the committee, Hecken accordingly.
The German Association of General Practitioners, however, had asked for the special regulation to be extended at least until the end of June.
Read here
:
Requirements for fitness studios - in which federal states you will soon be able to train again
Telephone sick leave extended until May 18th
Article of April 29, 2020
:
Employees * can initially take sick leave without visiting the practice until May 18
.
The exception regulation due to the Corona crisis *, that this is also possible after consulting the doctor by telephone, has been extended again, as the Federal Joint Committee of Doctors, Clinics and Health Insurance Companies announced.
Otherwise it would have expired on May 4th.
For a limited period of time, certificates of
incapacity for work due to mild respiratory diseases can also be obtained by telephone for up to seven calendar days
.
This can also be
extended by a further seven days
by phone
.
The regulation is intended to reduce the risk of infection in medical practices.
Read here
:
Short-time work benefits will be increased: This applies to employees and the self-employed
Survey: So many employees took sick leave by phone
News from May 5, 2020
: A
survey
showed that four out of ten sick employees have been on sick leave by telephone since the beginning of March.
According to the attending physician, 43 percent of them were suspected of being infected with the coronavirus.
This is shown by a current Forsa survey on behalf of DAK-Gesundheit of more than 2,000 employees.
The survey also shows that the vast majority of those questioned would have gone to a doctor's practice if it had not been possible to take sick leave by telephone.
You can also read:
Fear in times of corona: When can you threaten to dismiss - and what are your rights?
Sick note with the yellow bill
According to the survey, 19 percent of employees between 18 and 65 years of age have
reported incapable of work to their employer
since March 9th - that is, after the introduction of the
telephone sick leave
, as the health
insurance
fund further reports.
There were therefore no major differences between men and women or individual age groups in terms of sick leave.
39 percent of the employees who presented the so-called
yellow note
used the telephone sick leave.
88 percent of the sick would have visited the doctor's office if the new regulation had not existed, the message continues.
Read here:
This new help in the corona crisis is available - and who actually pays for the corona test?
Video: sick leave via WhatsApp - is that actually allowed?
Here you can read
:
Mask requirement and minimum distance when visiting the hairdresser - but these services are prohibited
Requirement: Extend telephone sick leave until June
It would be sensible to keep the telephone sick leave until the end of June, said DAK board member Andreas Strom.
The data showed that employees deal responsibly with the new regulation and that the risk of infection in practices is reduced as a result.
"We are thus supporting the demands of the General Practitioners' Association and the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians to extend sick leave by telephone."
Also read
:
Corona pandemic - do I still have to come to the office?
Most important rule: keep your distance
The official rules continue to provide for
strict exit
restrictions and the avoidance of social contacts.
A distance of at least 1.5 meters from other people should be kept and meetings outside the living room are only possible with at most one other person at the same time - with one exception: families and shared apartments are excluded from this rule.
However, you should take special safety measures * for sick and old family members.
(
ahu, as)
* Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen editorial network.
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Sources: dpa, DAK, BR Online
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