If you fall ill, you must inform two parties: your employer and your health insurance fund. Which deadlines apply depends on what you report and when a medical certificate becomes due. The rules for your employer are set out in the Continued Pay Act, and since 2022 the notification to the health insurance fund has largely been electronic. This checklist summarises what to do and when, and separates the two routes clearly. The related guide on sickness benefit for students (in German) explains when a claim may arise.
Short answer: You must notify your employer of any incapacity for work without undue delay, with the expected duration. If it lasts more than three calendar days, the medical certificate is due no later than the following working day. Since 2022, certificates of incapacity for work have been transmitted electronically to health insurance funds. Last updated: November 2026.
Key points
- You notify your employer of every incapacity for work without undue delay and give the expected duration.
- If the incapacity lasts more than three calendar days, the medical certificate is due no later than the following working day.
- Your employer may ask for the certificate earlier.
- Since 2022, certificates have been transmitted electronically to the health insurance fund.
- Ask your health insurance fund whether you have to send anything in addition.
Deadline 1: notifying your employer
Under section 5(1) of the Continued Pay Act, you must notify your employer of your incapacity for work and its expected duration without undue delay. Without undue delay means without culpable hesitation. On the first day of illness, that is the safest route as soon as you know you cannot work. The law does not set a fixed number of hours, so the rule is simple: the earlier, the better.
The notification does not have to be in writing, and it does not replace the later certificate. What matters is that your employer knows that you will be absent and roughly for how long. Some companies have a fixed route for this, such as a phone number or an internal form. Learn it before you need it.
Deadline 2: the medical certificate
If the incapacity for work lasts longer than three calendar days, the medical certificate must be submitted no later than the following working day. Your employer may ask for it earlier. Whether your company makes use of this option is set out in internal rules, your employment contract or a works agreement.
| Duty | When | To whom |
|---|---|---|
| Notification of incapacity for work | Without undue delay, with the expected duration | Employer |
| Medical certificate | If longer than three calendar days, no later than the following working day | Employer |
| Earlier request for the certificate | At the time set by the employer | Employer may ask |
| Electronic transmission | Standard since 2022 | Health insurance fund |
Deadline 3: the health insurance fund
For the health insurance fund, the electronic procedure for certificates of incapacity for work has applied since 2022. In most cases, the certificate therefore reaches the fund electronically, and you do not have to submit a paper form. Whether you need to do anything additionally depends on your fund and the individual case, so a short enquiry clarifies the point.
If you receive sickness benefit, keep the dates and notices from the fund especially closely in view. The guide on changing health insurance as a student (in German) sets out the deadlines for switching funds.
Worked example: when is the proof due?
Assumption: you are ill for four calendar days. The incapacity then lasts longer than three calendar days, and the certificate must be submitted no later than the following working day. Assumption: you are ill for only two calendar days. In that case the proof requirement under the law does not apply, but you must still notify your employer straight away, and your employer may ask for an earlier certificate.
| Case | Notification | Certificate |
|---|---|---|
| Two days ill | Immediately, without undue delay | Not required by the law, unless the employer asks |
| Four days ill | Immediately, without undue delay | No later than the following working day |
| Ill from Monday, employer asks for proof from day one | Immediately, without undue delay | At the time the employer requests |
Why the deadlines matter in everyday life
Deadlines look minor on paper, but in practice they decide whether a sick day causes friction. Someone who falls ill at short notice on Monday and reports only on Thursday puts the business under strain and invites unnecessary questions. A short message on the first day usually prevents that.
It is also useful to read your employment contract and the internal rules once in peace, before the first sick day arrives. They often state to whom the notification should go and whether an earlier certificate is expected. If you know these details, you do not have to think hard about them in an emergency.
A checklist for the emergency
Keep the contact details of your line manager or HR department, the switchboard number of the company and your health insurance number together in one place. In an emergency, a single glance is then enough, and you do not have to search. Note when you reported your absence, in case questions come up later.
Taking a few minutes to set this up pays off. The checklist above is a memory aid, while the statutory text is the binding basis for what you must do.
Frequently asked questions
Is a message to my employer by messenger enough?
The law requires notification without a fixed form. What matters is that your employer learns of the incapacity and its expected duration. Whether a messenger counts as a reporting route depends on internal rules. If in doubt, call or message the designated contact.
Do I have to go to the doctor on the first day?
Under the current rule, not if the incapacity lasts no longer than three calendar days. You must still inform your employer without undue delay. Your employer may ask for an earlier certificate, and then the timing follows the employer’s request.
What happens if I miss the deadline?
The law requires notification without undue delay and a certificate by the next working day after the three-day threshold. A late notification can trigger questions and, if repeated, employment law consequences. If you cannot meet the deadline, report as early as you can and explain the reason.
Do I have to send anything to the health insurance fund myself?
Since 2022, certificates of incapacity for work have been transmitted electronically. Whether you must submit anything else depends on your fund. Ask the fund directly. If you receive sickness benefit, keep to the fund’s dates.
Does this also apply if I am ill abroad?
Different rules can apply to illness abroad, and they are not covered in this checklist. In that case, notify your employer straight away and clarify the proof requirement with your health insurance fund before you submit the certificate.
Next steps
- Notify your employer on the first day of illness and give the expected duration.
- Write down the date and time, and the name of the person you spoke to.
- If the incapacity lasts more than three calendar days, have a certificate issued and hand it in no later than the following working day.
- Ask your employer whether it wants the certificate earlier.
- Ask your health insurance fund whether you must send anything in addition.
Related reading
- Health system reform: overview of emergency care, sick notes and the ePA (in German)
- Sick note from the first day: do I have to see a doctor right away? (in German)
- Telephone sick note: planned abolition and what applies until then (in German)
- Sickness benefit for students: does it exist? (in German)
- Changing health insurance as a student: deadlines, steps and special termination right (in German)
Sources: Section 5 Entgeltfortzahlungsgesetz (continued pay act), gesetze-im-internet.de, ZDFheute: overview of the reform of sick notes (no date given).
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
