Anyone who falls ill during a mini-job or a student job quickly wonders what must be reported to the employer, when a medical certificate is due and whether pay continues. The rules come from the German Continued Remuneration Act (Entgeltfortzahlungsgesetz, EFZG), which applies to employees. This guide sets out the deadlines, works through an example of the waiting period and answers the most common questions.
Short answer: You must inform your employer without undue delay that you are unable to work and how long the absence is expected to last (section 5(1) EFZG). If the illness lasts longer than three calendar days, a medical certificate must be submitted no later than the following working day. Pay continuation starts after a waiting period of four weeks of uninterrupted employment (section 3(3) EFZG). Last updated: November 2026.
The most important points in brief
- Notice to the employer must be given without undue delay, stating the expected duration.
- From the fourth calendar day of illness, a medical certificate can be required, and it must then be submitted by the following working day.
- The employer may also ask for the certificate earlier.
- Pay continuation requires a waiting period of four weeks of uninterrupted employment.
- If the illness continues longer than certified, a new certificate must be submitted.
Do I have to tell my employer straight away?
Yes. Employees must inform the employer without undue delay that they are unable to work and how long the absence is expected to last. Without undue delay means without culpable hesitation, in practice usually on the first day of illness. The way you report it, for example by phone, message or email, can be set by the workplace. Keep a written record so that you can prove when you reported it.
The same notification duty applies in a mini-job and in a student job, provided an employment relationship exists. Even if you only work a few hours a week, reporting early helps your employer reschedule shifts.
When is a medical certificate required?
The obligation to submit a certificate depends on how long the illness lasts. The table summarises the rules.
| Situation | What you must do | Deadline | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illness up to three calendar days | report the illness and its expected length | without undue delay | Section 5(1) EFZG |
| Illness longer than three calendar days | submit a medical certificate | no later than the following working day | Section 5(1) EFZG |
| Employer asks for the certificate earlier | submit the certificate on request | on request | Section 5(1) EFZG |
| Illness lasts longer than certified | submit a new certificate | when the absence is extended | Section 5(1) EFZG |
Statutory health insurance members receive a note from the doctor on the certificate, confirming that a certificate with findings and the expected duration is sent to the health insurance fund. This helps you, but you do not have to send it to the fund yourself.
Is pay continued during a mini-job illness?
The right to continued pay arises after four weeks of uninterrupted employment (section 3(3) EFZG). After that, the right covers up to six weeks of incapacity, provided you are not at fault (section 3(1) EFZG). If you fall ill during the first four weeks, the Act gives you no entitlement to continued pay for that time.
Worked example of the waiting period:
- Assumption: your mini-job starts on 1 October and you fall ill on 10 November.
- The four-week waiting period runs from 1 October and ends on 29 October.
- Result: by 10 November the waiting period has been completed, so the entitlement to continued pay exists.
- Counter-example: had you fallen ill on 15 October, you would have no entitlement under the Act for that time.
Does the same apply to student workers?
The same rules apply to student workers where an employment relationship exists. What matters is therefore not the name of the position but whether you are employed as an employee. The 20-hour limit of the student privilege concerns insurance, not the duty to report sickness.
If you fall ill during the semester break while still employed, the same rules apply. Record the start and end of the illness and submit the certificate on time, so that your pay claim does not fail on a formal point.
The same notification duty applies during probation, when the waiting period for continued pay has not yet been completed. Employees in probation should therefore record the notification and the certificate especially carefully. The notice periods during probation are short, so planning matters more. The probation article explains how the two fit together.
What if the doctor does not issue a certificate?
If you are unable to work, you are entitled to a certificate. If the doctor does not issue one, raise the matter with the practice directly and inform your employer about the illness in parallel. Without a timely proof you risk friction with the employer and may put your pay claim at risk. Note when you asked for the certificate.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to see a doctor on the first day?
Not under the Continued Remuneration Act. The duty to submit a certificate arises when the illness lasts longer than three calendar days, or when the employer asks for it earlier. Reporting the illness, however, must be done without undue delay.
Can the employer ask for the certificate earlier?
Yes. The employer may request the certificate earlier, even for a short illness. Submit it as quickly as the employer requests and keep a copy.
What happens if the illness lasts longer than certified?
A new certificate must then be submitted. When the absence is extended, ask the doctor to confirm the period explicitly, so that no gap arises.
Does the health insurance fund also receive the certificate?
For statutory members, the doctor notes that a certificate with findings and the expected duration is sent to the fund. You therefore do not have to send it yourself. If you are unsure whether the note appears on the form, check it.
What to do next
- Report the illness to your employer on the first day and state the expected duration.
- Note the date of the report, the length of the illness and the date the certificate was issued.
- Submit the certificate no later than the working day after the illness passes three calendar days, or earlier if the employer asks.
- If you are new in the job, check your waiting period and clarify pay questions with the employer.
Related articles
- Minijob or Student Job: Limits in Figures Compared
- Health insurance as a working student (in German)
- Probation: notice, holiday and health insurance
- Student job: 20-hour rule, pension insurance and semester breaks (in German)
- Student job contract: template and mandatory terms
Sources: Section 5 EntgFG, notification and proof duties (text at gesetze.legal, in German, accessed November 2026); Section 3 EFZG, entitlement to continued pay (gesetze-im-internet.de, in German).
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
