4 ms·
As a German, I find the concept of "sick time" baffling. When I'm sick, I go to my doctor and get a note that allows me to stay away from work until I'm healthy
by majewsky 9y ago
As a German, I find the concept of "sick time" baffling. When I'm sick, I go to my doctor and get a note that allows me to stay away from work until I'm healthy. Employers are required by law to continue paying the full salary for at least 6 weeks, or longer if the employer chooses so (e.g. 6 months at my employer). After that, one receives sick pay from the health insurance (70% of the last salary).
Actually, it's even better at my employer. When I feel like a cold is coming on, I just shoot a e-mail to my manager and stay home. I only have to submit a doctor's note at the third day of continuous absence. The manager does not get to argue against your staying home, although I guess that question would be asked if one would abuse this policy. Managers are generally supportive of the policy; they don't want sick people spreading their diseases to their colleagues.
- ben1040 9y agoI worked for a US company that gave you an accrual of one sick day every month, with a maximum accrual of 120 days on the books. Sick days could be "verified" by presenting a doctor's note when you come back to work, or unverified, although you could only take up to five unverified sick days per calendar year. If you should use no sick days in a given calendar year, regardless of doctor's note or not, you would earn an additional vacation day for use in the following year. This set up a perverse incentive -- suppose you get sick, use some sick days, and bring back a doctor's note with you for it. You've lost your free vacation day for the next year, and you still have 5 allowable "unverified" days. You may as well now just "call in sick" on a few Fridays here and there to fill out your unverified sick day allowance, and give yourself some three day weekends.