Hans van LeeuwenJul 8, 2026 – 4.00pmLondon | When Friedrich Merz, the German Chancellor, unveiled a “big bang” of economic reforms last week, it was surprisingly one of the smaller initiatives that generated the biggest response.Laying out his package of 34 new measures, the chancellor slipped out that when German workers want paid sick leave, they will need a doctor’s note on the very first day of their illness, and they’ll need to get it in person.The Telegraph LondonSubscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles
‘Graded sick leave’: Europe declares war on workers pulling sickies
As Friedrich Merz demands ill Germans get doctors’ notes, other European nations are also taking initiatives to reduce weeks of sickies to improve productivity.
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