🔔 Parents in Germany straining under the burden of managing their kids' sick leave during the Coronavirus pandemic might find relief soon. Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) is pushing for telephone sick notes for parents, a move that could reduce the strain on doctors' surgeries and prevent infections in waiting rooms.
In a recent letter to the Düsseldorf newspaper "Rheinische Post," Lauterbach requested the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) and the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds (GKV) to work towards a swift agreement on the matter.
While there's no concrete timeline for when this option might be available for children's sick pay, the move is in line with the Federal Joint Committee's decision in December to allow patients to obtain sick notes for minor illnesses without visiting a doctor's surgery. This change, which stems from an earlier special coronavirus regulation, may provide a clue as to how the system for children could evolve.
Here's a step-by-step guide on how parents can currently obtain a sick note for their children, should they be required to do so:
- Inform the child's employer or school about the child's absence from work or school through a phone call, email, or messenger. Each workplace may have specific rules for this process.
- Schedule an appointment with the child's doctor or attend consultation hours at the practice. If necessary, a sick note may be issued via phone or video call to prevent the spread of infection.
- Provide the doctor with the child's name, the expected duration of the sick leave, the date of diagnosis, and the diagnosis code.
- The sick note is issued in an electronic format, which automatically goes to the health insurance provider and employer. Parents may request a hardcopy for their personal records if needed.
While Lauterbach's proposal for telephone sick notes for parents is yet to be finalized, the video- or phone-call approach for obtaining sick notes has the potential to bring some ease to parents navigating their children's sick leave during the pandemic. Stay tuned for updates on this and other measures being explored by the German government to support families during this challenging time.
📚 Relevant Insights
- If phone or video calls are currently being used to issue sick notes, parents may wish to reach out to their local doctor's practices to inquire about this option. Each practice may have its specific policies.
- It's essential to prioritize public health protection measures, such as wearing masks, social distancing, and proper hand hygiene, even if the option to obtain sick notes via phone calls becomes available.
- The Federal Joint Committee's decision to allow permanent sick notes for minor illnesses can serve as a precedent for potential changes related to children's sick notes and telecommunications.
📅 Last Updated: [2022-03-23]
