Berlin [Germany]: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has announced plans to tighten the country's sick leave rules, saying Germany can no longer afford the high level of employee absences that are hurting business competitiveness.
Under the proposed changes, employees would no longer be allowed to obtain sick leave by telephone and would instead be required to submit a medical certificate from the very first day of illness.
"We can no longer accept the extraordinarily high levels of sick leave in our companies," Merz said, describing the move as a "tough decision" but one that is necessary to eliminate the competitive disadvantage caused by prolonged absences from work.
The proposal marks a significant shift in Germany's workplace policy and is aimed at reducing absenteeism while improving productivity and economic competitiveness.
Earlier, speaking on the current situation of competitiveness of the Germany Inc. and jobs, Chancellor expressed his worries and challenges before him.
Merz highlighted that securing jobs and enhancing competitiveness of the economy remains his top priority as the country is losing about 300-500 jobs everyday.
Merz said, "We are all aware that we need to do more. We have a rather a large set of tasked ahead of us and for me. The The main focus is on restoring the price competitiveness of our economy. We are currently losing between 300 and 500 jobs everyday."
"A double digit number of companies go bankrupt. That means that we really need to make sure we get out of this difficult situation quickly. It is now essential to quickly ensure that jobs in Germany are secure and companies are competitive internationally and nationally," he added.
The remarks come during the time when Germany is facing industrial slowdown, rising costs, and restructuring across major companies.
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Major Job Cuts Reported by German Inc.
According to the circulated figures, Germany has seen around 486,000 job losses between January to March 2026, with several big companies announcing workforce reductions:
Volkswagen: 100,000 jobs
Deutsche Bahn: 30,000 jobs
Bosch: 22,000 jobs
Mercedes-Benz: 20,000 jobs
ZF: 14,000 jobs
ThyssenKrupp: 11,000 jobs
Continental: 10,000 jobs
These numbers have created uncertainty among workers and international professionals planning careers in Germany.
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