Sick leave due to cold no longer by phone: doctor's visit again necessary

In March, the possibility of sick leave was introduced in the Corona crisis. The special arrangement has now expired.

• In the corona crisis *, patients with mild respiratory illnesses were able to get sick on the phone.
• The special regulation for sick leave over the phone expired on May 31.
• A survey showed how many employees * just started using the offer.

Update from June 2, 2020: Sick leave is no longer possible by phone

A  sick leave over the phoneis no longer possible from now on. The special arrangement expired on May 31. Say: If you need a sick leave due to a cold , you have to go to the doctor again from now on.

Read here: Record-breaking sick leave - telephone sick leave only until the end of May

Update from May 19, 2020: Telephone sick leave is only possible until the end of May

Sick leave by phone is only possible until the end of May  . According to a decision of the "Joint Federal Committee of Doctors, Clinics and Health Insurance Companies", a visit to the doctor is again required for a sick leave from June 1 , as reported by BR Online, among others. 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. The German General Practitioners Association, on the other hand, had asked for the special regulation to be extended at least until the end of June.

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Article from April 29, 2020: Telephone sick leave extended until May 18

For the time being, employees * can take sick leave without visiting a practice until May 18 . The exception to the corona crisis * that this can also be done after consulting the doctor over the phone has been extended again, as the Federal Joint Committee of Doctors, Clinics and Health Insurance Funds announced. Otherwise it would have expired on May 4th.

For a limited time now, certificates of incapacity for work due to minor respiratory illnesses can also be obtained by phone for up to seven calendar days . This can also be extended by a further seven days by telephone . The regulation is intended to reduce the risk of infection in medical practices.

Read here : Short-time work benefits are increased: this applies to employees and the self-employed

Survey: So many workers took sick leave over the phone

A survey found that four out of ten sick workers have had sick leave on the phone since the beginning of March. According to the treating doctor, 43 percent of them were suspected of being infected with the coronavirus. This is shown by a current Forsa survey commissioned by DAK Health of more than 2,000 employees.

The survey also shows that the vast majority of those surveyed would have gone to a doctor's office if it had not been possible to take sick leave by telephone.

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Sick leave with the yellow glow

According to the survey, 19 percent of employees between the ages of 18 and 65 have reportedly been unable to work at their employer since March 9, i.e. since the introduction of sick leave by telephone , according to the survey . There were therefore no major differences between men and women or individual age groups in sickness reports.

39 percent of the workers who submitted the so-called yellow certificate used the sick leave over the phone. 88 percent of the sick would have visited the doctor's office if the new regulation had not existed, the statement said.

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Video: WhatsApp sick leave - is that actually allowed?

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Demand: Extend sick leave by June

According to Andreas Strom, DAK board member, it makes sense to keep the sick leave until the end of June. The data had shown that employees are responsible with the new regulation and thus reduce the risk of infection in their practices. "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."

Read also:  Corona pandemic - Do I still have to come to the office?

The most important rule: keep your distance

The official rules continue to  impose strict exit  restrictions and avoid social contacts. At least 1.5 meters should be kept away from other people and meetings outside the living space are only possible with at most one other person at the same time - with one exception: Family and shared apartments are exempt from this rule. However, you should take special safety measures * for sick and old family members.

Also interesting : Corona help from the state - who is entitled to what - and from whom?

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Sources: dpa, DAK, BR Online

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* Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen editorial network.

List of rubric lists: © picture alliance / Daniel Karman