Sick leave notifications by phone have played hardly any role in Saxony in the past. They accounted for 0.8 percent of all sick leave notifications in 2021, according to the Barmer health insurance company. In 2023, the figure was 1.2 percent; the health insurance provider did not provide data for 2024 and 2025. The analysis examined data from approximately 105,000 working-age individuals between the ages of 15 and 64 who are insured with Barmer in Saxony. The CDU-SPD coalition at the federal level wants to eliminate the option of obtaining a sick note from a doctor over the phone.
Sick leave is declining
“The trend of declining sick leave is a positive sign for employees and companies. Nevertheless, the workplace is the most important setting for prevention in adulthood,” emphasized Claudia Beutmann, regional director of Barmer in Saxony. The high rates of sick leave could not be attributed to any single cause.
Older employees are sick less often but are absent for longer periods
According to Barmer’s findings, the introduction of electronic sick leave certificates, the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, demographics, and work-related stress are the main factors influencing absenteeism trends, it was reported. Among younger employees, mental stress and mental health conditions are increasing in particular, while older employees are absent less frequently but often for longer periods.
Employers can help reduce absenteeism
The analysis also shows that employers could make a decisive contribution to reducing absenteeism, Barmer reported. Good working conditions, flexible work models, supportive leadership, and effective workplace health management have been shown to have a positive impact on employees’ health.
