Anyone who has to look after their sick child at home should be able to apply for sick leave by telephone in the future. Health Minister Lauterbach started this initiative. Among other things, he wants to reduce the risk of infection.
In the future, parents would be able to request time off work by telephone to care for sick children. Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) is urging a corresponding change to the rule for children’s sick days in a letter to the board of directors of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians and to the umbrella association of statutory health insurance companies, which is available to the “Rheinische Post”.
According to Lauterbach, this is primarily intended to relieve pressure on doctors’ practices and reduce the risk of infection. It has been possible again for working people to take sick leave over the telephone since last week.
Avoiding infections in the waiting room
“The transfer of the regulations of the incapacity for work directive for the telephone determination of incapacity for work to the issuance of the medical certificate for the receipt of child sickness benefit is another important contribution to preventing infections in the waiting rooms of doctors’ practices,” writes Lauterbach.
The Minister of Health had already announced relief for caring for sick children at home in October. He told “Bild am Sonntag” at the time that parents should no longer have to run to the doctor for a certificate on the first day that their child is sick in order to claim child sickness benefit. “This is senseless bureaucracy and puts a strain on mothers and fathers. We can trust the parents.”
Only visit the doctor from the fourth day of illness
According to the minister, a visit to the doctor should only be necessary from the fourth day of illness. The change should take effect “ideally during this winter cold season”. During the corona pandemic, children’s sick days were increased to 30 working days per year per parent. For the years 2024 and 2025, there should only be an entitlement of 15 days per parent or 30 days for single parents.