Sick day debate: Bäte wants to save money – employees in need!

In a current debate about the high level of sickness in Germany, Allianz boss Oliver Bäte called for the reintroduction of the parental leave day. According to Bäte, the waiting day, which was abolished in the 1970s, could help employers save 40 billion euros annually. The proposal stipulates that employees will not receive wages on the first day of sick leave.

Currently, employees in Germany who are on sick leave continue to receive their salary from the first day. According to Bäte, this results in workers being sick for an average of 20 days per year, while the EU average is eight days. Employers pay 77 billion euros annually for the salaries of employees on sick leave. Statistical statements show that employees were on sick leave for an average of 15.1 working days in 2023, as documented by DAK-Gesundheit, which reports an average of 20 days of absence per capita.

Reactions and resistance

The reaction to Bäte's proposal is highly controversial. Trade unions, particularly the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB), criticize the proposal as unfair and warn against the phenomenon of “presenteeism”, in which employees show up for work despite being sick. DGB board member Anja Piel emphasizes that many employees come to work in poor health, even if they are not fit.

Additional voices come from business: Tobias Stüber from the startup industry rejects unpaid sick days and calls for better company policy. In contrast, social expert Bernd Raffelhüschen supports the idea of ​​an unpaid sick day and even suggests granting three days without pay. Mercedes boss Ola Källenius also sees the high level of sickness as a problem for companies.

Political reactions are mixed. Union parliamentary group vice-president Sepp Müller (CDU) advocates a discussion about new ideas, while Tino Sorge (CDU) calls for a “sick leave summit” to discuss the situation. In contrast, Dennis Radtke (CDU) describes Bäte's proposal as unacceptable and an expression of mistrust towards employees.

The discussion surrounding continued payment of wages in the event of illness raises important questions about the balance between employer interests and the protection of employee rights. This issue remains in the focus of public debate and could have far-reaching effects on German labor law.