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Impact of the telephone sick note
12th of February 2025 Article by Katja Scholz
From Germany Katja Scholz tells us about the increase in the sickness absence rate in the sector.
In what has almost become a tradition, the Federal Association of Contract Cleaners (BIV) presented the results of its autumn business survey in October. Over 400 member firms took part, showing the overall mood in the sector along with forecasts and expectations. A particular stand-out topic was the telephone sick note.
The spring survey had already shown barely one quarter of the participating companies had positive business expectations for the year as a whole and barely half of them saw their business as unchanged.
The autumn forecast regrettably fails to reveal a more optimistic picture: only 18.5 per cent of the participating companies, so even fewer than in the spring, view 2025 with positive business expectations, 43.4 per cent see their business as unchanging and just under 38 per cent have a negative view of future prospects. The majority of companies are highly critical of the use of the telephone sick note which, since December 2023, has now been made possible again in Germany.
Since then the sickness rate has increased for more than 70 per cent of the companies surveyed, while for 30 per cent it has remained the same. A third of the businesses affected even state that, in the current year, their sickness rates have increased by up to 10 per cent as a result of the telephone sick note.
“The telephone sick note made sense during the pandemic - but it is now turning into a distinct handicap for our companies,” said Federal Guild master Thomas Dietrich. “The Federal Government is right to review this instrument in the context of their growth initiative – but for us there is only one correct conclusion: abolition.” A clear majority of 81.4 per cent of the companies surveyed agree.
Political interference in the right to independent collective bargaining came right at the top of the scale (from one to 10) of concerns with a score of 8.5, especially with regard to the legal minimum wage requirements. Following close behind were the soaring costs of the social security system, particularly in the area of health and pensions insurance.
But at the 2024 year end, some more cheerful news: this year’s contract cleaners’ company award went to a traditional business from Remscheid, North Rhine Westfalia: Schulten Gebäudedienste. This company, which employs a staff of 2,600, convinced the jury with the in-house social care programme which its employees have turned to with confidence for 25 years now for help with their individual issues and concerns. This could involve dealing with official procedures, providing help through the jungle of red tape, sick visiting or simply just lending a sympathetic ear.
Equally good news from the upcoming generation in the sector: the BIV ‘newcomer’ prize was also awarded at the members’ assembly. Following the award of last year’s title to a journeyman apprentice from Bavaria, this year’s prize was presented to Sarah Lutz from Baden-Württemberg.
She brings the skilled trade into the realm of social networking and has also passed her master’s exam. “This title is also well-deserved because Sarah Lutz has acted as an ambassador for the sector, representing our skilled trade on social media with dignity, freshness and affection, thereby gaining an impressive number of likes, clicks and followers,” said jury chairman Holger Eickholz.
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