Guide

Sick leave in Germany: what the law pays and for how long

By Covered Abroad Research Desk · Last verified July 2026

German sick pay starts with the employer: § 3 of the Entgeltfortzahlungsgesetz (EntgFG) gives an employee unable to work through no fault of their own continued pay for up to six weeks (sechs Wochen). For a repeat of the same illness, the six weeks reset only if you worked six months since the last bout of that illness, or twelve months have passed since it first began. After the employer's six weeks, statutory health insurance takes over with Krankengeld.

The six-week employer guarantee

EntgFG § 3 states the core rule: an employee prevented from working by illness, without fault, hat Anspruch auf Entgeltfortzahlung im Krankheitsfall durch den Arbeitgeber… bis zur Dauer von sechs Wochen — continued wages from the employer for up to six weeks. It's full salary continuation, not a benefit rate, and it applies per illness, which is where the clocks below come in.

Source: EntgFG § 3 — gesetze-im-internet.de, read 10 September 2026.

Same illness again: the 6-month and 12-month clocks

§ 3 handles relapses precisely: a new six-week entitlement for the same illness arises only if (1) you were not off work with that illness for at least six months before the new episode, or (2) twelve months have passed since the first episode of that illness began. Different illnesses each carry their own six weeks — the clocks bind only recurrences.

Source: EntgFG § 3 Abs. 1 — gesetze-im-internet.de, read 10 September 2026.

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After six weeks, and the everyday mechanics

Once the employer's six weeks end, statutory health insurance continues support as Krankengeld — the handover is why your insurance setup matters beyond doctor visits. Day to day: notify your employer immediately on day one, and get the doctor's certificate (the electronic AU) by the day your employer's policy requires. The certificate flows electronically from practice to insurer in the statutory system — your job is telling the employer and seeing the doctor on time, with an out-of-hours route when it starts on a weekend.

Source: Entgeltfortzahlungsgesetz — gesetze-im-internet.de, read 10 September 2026.

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Common questions

How long is paid sick leave in Germany?

Up to six weeks per illness at continued salary, paid by the employer, under EntgFG § 3. After that, statutory health insurance pays Krankengeld.

Do I get six more weeks if the same illness returns?

Only if you worked six months clear of that illness before the relapse, or twelve months have passed since it first began — § 3's repeat-illness clocks. A different illness starts a fresh six weeks.

When do I need a sick note?

Notify your employer immediately; the doctor's certificate follows by the day your contract or employer policy sets. In the statutory system it transmits electronically to the insurer.

Does sick pay apply during probation?

The EntgFG entitlement starts after four weeks of uninterrupted employment — early-probation illness falls to health insurance rather than the employer.

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