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German Companies hire Detectives to Investigate Sick Leave by Employees


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As Germany faces growing economic challenges, some companies are turning to private detectives to investigate employees on long-term sick leave, raising concerns about whether all such absences are legitimate. This trend, which aims to identify unproductive workers, has sparked global debate, particularly on Chinese social media.

One company benefiting from this demand is Lentz Group, a private detective agency located near Frankfurt’s central railway station. Marcus Lentz, the agency’s founder, shared with AFP that his firm handles around 1,200 cases annually, a number that has doubled in recent years.

According to Germany’s federal statistics agency, Destatis, the average number of sick leave days per worker increased significantly from 11.1 days in 2021 to 15.1 days in 2023. This rise in absenteeism contributed to a 0.8% reduction in the country’s GDP in 2023, playing a part in the economic contraction of 0.3%, as reported by the South China Morning Post.

In addition, TK, one of Germany’s largest health insurers, reported a record high of 14.13 sick days per worker in the first nine months of 2024. OECD data also revealed that Germans missed 6.8% of their working hours due to illness in 2023, a higher rate than other EU nations like France, Italy, and Spain.

Experts suggest that part of the rise in sick leave can be attributed to more relaxed medical certification policies introduced during the pandemic. Under these policies, employees could obtain sick leave certificates over the phone for mild symptoms, which has reportedly led to some individuals exaggerating their symptoms to take time off.

Under German labor laws, employees on sick leave are entitled to their full salary for up to six weeks per year. After that, health insurance covers sickness benefits. This financial burden has led many companies to hire private detectives, despite the high costs associated with these services.

Lentz explained, “There are just more and more companies that do not want to put up with it anymore. If someone has 30, 40, or sometimes up to 100 sick days in a year, they become economically unattractive for the employer.”

Private detectives often uncover surprising findings, such as employees working at family businesses or renovating homes while on sick leave. However, not all investigations lead to dismissals. For instance, an Italian bus driver was fired after being seen performing at a bar during sick leave for anxiety. But Italy’s Supreme Court ruled that the activity helped his recovery and reinstated him.

While some companies view detective services as a necessary investment, experts emphasize the importance of addressing the underlying causes of increased sick leave, such as rising respiratory illnesses, mental health challenges, and workplace stress.

This trend has also sparked a lively debate in China, where sick leave policies differ greatly. In China, employees must provide medical certificates, and their salaries are partially deducted during sick leave. One Chinese commentator remarked, “Wait, sick leave in Germany does not deduct from performance bonuses or year-end rewards? What a dream.” Another added, “If this is the case in Germany, then problem solved.”

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