Employees are legally obliged to inform their employers immediately of any absence from work due to illness. This should be done at the start of work on the first day of illness and before the doctor's appointment. In some cases, there are regulations in the employment contract regarding sick notes.

Submit a medical certificate to the employer

If you are ill for more than three calendar days, you must submit a medical certificate by the next (i.e. fourth) day at the latest. This must also state the expected duration of the absence. However, the employer may request that the certificate be submitted earlier. Anyone who calls in sick too late or submits a certificate too late risks a warning or, in the worst case, even dismissal.

Sick people do not necessarily have to stay in bed

The decision as to what sick employees are actually allowed to do depends on the certificate and the recommendation of the doctor treating them. There is nothing to stop you going shopping at the supermarket or going for a walk in the fresh air. Depending on the illness, you can even go to restaurants, theaters or cinemas with a clear conscience: if you have a broken arm, for example, there is nothing to stop you going to a restaurant, but if you have acute bronchitis, it is better to avoid smoking clubs or restaurants.