BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - The FDP parliamentary group in the Bundestag is critical of calls to abolish sick pay for employees on the first day of illness. In a position paper, the FDP argues in favor of a bonus that employers could grant for each calendar month without sick leave, tax- and contribution-free and in addition to the basic salary.
The maximum tax-free allowance for such bonuses could be a total of 3,000 euros per calendar year, according to the paper, which was submitted to the German Press Agency in Berlin. And: "Positive incentives for not calling in sick appear preferable to a de facto punishment for doing so."
Allianz CEO Oliver Bäte had suggested reintroducing a waiting period. This would mean that employees would bear the costs for the first day of illness themselves. Bäte has thus initiated a debate on sick leave in Germany. Statistically, this is high by international standards. In the Federal Republic of Germany, unlike in some other countries, sick pay has been paid from the first day of illness for decades.
Economists and associations are warning of the economic consequences of the high level of sick leave in Germany. They say it leads to lower economic growth and higher social security spending. However, economic experts are also skeptical of the proposal to abolish sick pay for the first day of illness. They also point out possible risks and undesirable side effects.
FDP faction deputy Konstantin Kuhle warned against making sweeping assumptions about employees' lack of motivation or even laziness. "Regardless of the individual case, however, the level of sick leave in Germany is too high," he said. Incentive models are better suited than immediately considering wage cuts./cn/DP/zb