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> Germany is known for its generous labor practices, including paid sick days. I know Americans aren't used to employees having rights but the country that's k

by pluma 10y ago

> Germany is known for its generous labor practices, including paid sick days. I know Americans aren't used to employees having rights but the country that's known for its generous laws isn't Germany, it's France.

_of 10y ago
What they mean is that it's being generous compared with the US.
- hdhzy 10y ago
  Exactly. Many European countries have similar laws.
- grecy 10y ago
  Which, as everyone that lives in a Developed country outside the US knows, is not saying much.
EliRivers 10y ago
It's a genuine shock to see "paid sick days" considered notable; a real reminder of what we have (and, as this case with Amazon shows, need to work to keep; I have no doubt that this if this works out as Amazon hopes, they have an onwards plan to take more - maybe I'll see what the union is up to these days).
- alkonaut 10y ago
  To me it's surprising to see employers paying sick days. Why not have a public insurance that pays them just as if you were unemployed or had a serious medical condition that made you unable to work? I thought Europe was mostly the latter (public insurance) while the US used employer pays. Edit: here the employer pays days 2-14 (no pay day 1, public insurance from day 15). Im not sure if there is s limit in days per year (I believe there isn't) Having employers pay sick days must mean people with a history of illness are less attractive employees. Paid sick days is just like any other insurance - the larger the pool the better. I'm assuming employees insure against this though?
  - j_jochem 10y ago
    In Germany, when an employee has been sick for 6 weeks and is still unable to come to work, the employers obligation to pay them for their sick leave ends and the employee is moved over to Krankengeld, which is about 75% of their monthly net income and is paid for by the mandatory public health insurance. There's also non-mandatory corporate insurance products for employers that will pay for the mandatory sick leave. However, this is usually not affordable for very small companies and large organizations are usually better of absorbing the risk themselves and not paying the insurer a premium.
    - alkonaut 10y ago
      Sounds like it's pretty similar across Europe then (My Example was Sweden). 6 weeks I suppose can be pretty expensive small business compared to the 13 days here. But both systems are clearly tailored towards being friendly to employees rather than employers, which is (as usual) the difference to the US.
weinzierl 10y ago
This. I also like to point out that Germany doesn't exactly have a concept of "paid sick days". The exact details are complicated but from the employees point of view the gist is that as long as you are not chronically ill (or try to game the system) you don't have to worry about days. Just inform your employer on the first day and get a doctor's note after the third. Sick time and holiday time are very different things. Holidays are mandatory and can't be reduced by sick time. I never understood the concept of paid sick days as it is used in the US. From what I heard you have a fixed number and you don't have to prove that you are sick to use them. So what is the difference between paid sick days and holidays exactly?

by pluma 10y ago

_of 10y ago

What they mean is that it's being generous compared with the US.

hdhzy 10y ago
Exactly. Many European countries have similar laws.
grecy 10y ago
Which, as everyone that lives in a Developed country outside the US knows, is not saying much.

EliRivers 10y ago

It's a genuine shock to see "paid sick days" considered notable; a real reminder of what we have (and, as this case with Amazon shows, need to work to keep; I have no doubt that this if this works out as Amazon hopes, they have an onwards plan to take more - maybe I'll see what the union is up to these days).

alkonaut 10y ago
To me it's surprising to see employers paying sick days. Why not have a public insurance that pays them just as if you were unemployed or had a serious medical condition that made you unable to work? I thought Europe was mostly the latter (public insurance) while the US used employer pays. Edit: here the employer pays days 2-14 (no pay day 1, public insurance from day 15). Im not sure if there is s limit in days per year (I believe there isn't) Having employers pay sick days must mean people with a history of illness are less attractive employees. Paid sick days is just like any other insurance - the larger the pool the better. I'm assuming employees insure against this though?
- j_jochem 10y ago
  In Germany, when an employee has been sick for 6 weeks and is still unable to come to work, the employers obligation to pay them for their sick leave ends and the employee is moved over to Krankengeld, which is about 75% of their monthly net income and is paid for by the mandatory public health insurance. There's also non-mandatory corporate insurance products for employers that will pay for the mandatory sick leave. However, this is usually not affordable for very small companies and large organizations are usually better of absorbing the risk themselves and not paying the insurer a premium.
  - alkonaut 10y ago
    Sounds like it's pretty similar across Europe then (My Example was Sweden). 6 weeks I suppose can be pretty expensive small business compared to the 13 days here. But both systems are clearly tailored towards being friendly to employees rather than employers, which is (as usual) the difference to the US.

weinzierl 10y ago

This. I also like to point out that Germany doesn't exactly have a concept of "paid sick days". The exact details are complicated but from the employees point of view the gist is that as long as you are not chronically ill (or try to game the system) you don't have to worry about days. Just inform your employer on the first day and get a doctor's note after the third. Sick time and holiday time are very different things. Holidays are mandatory and can't be reduced by sick time. I never understood the concept of paid sick days as it is used in the US. From what I heard you have a fixed number and you don't have to prove that you are sick to use them. So what is the difference between paid sick days and holidays exactly?