Sick Leave/General Absence from Work
If you are unable to work because of sickness or an injury, you must inform your office manager/head of office as soon as possible before core working hours begin. If the head of your office is not there, you must inform your supervisor.
If your sick leave lasts longer than three calendar days, including weekends and public holidays, you must submit a doctor’s note to your office manager and/or supervisor no later than the day following the third day of sick leave. The note should state the period of time for which you will be unable to work.
In the case of employees with statutory health insurance, this is submitted via the electronic certificate of incapacity for work (eAU), i.e. the FU's HR department retrieves the doctor's note electronically from their health insurance company.
Employees with private health insurance still receive a doctor's note in paper form, which can be sent to their place of employment or directly to the HR department.
Every day of absence due to sickness or injury, including each day of consecutive periods of absence, must be covered by a doctor’s note. This still applies even if you are no longer entitled to receive statutory sick pay due to the length of your absence.
Please note: Members of the university, whether civil servants or employees, must always obtain the consent of the employer – here Freie Universität Berlin – in any case of absence from work for whatever reason. Where this consent cannot be obtained in advance, e.g., because of sickness, consent must be obtained as soon as possible, that is to say, without any intentional delay, and if necessary by telephone. If you are incapable of informing your employer yourself, you must ask someone to do it for you. Employees who remain absent from work without permission forfeit their right to continued pay and may be subject to disciplinary procedures or other consequences at work.
Sick Leave During Vacation
If you should fall ill during your vacation, you may be able to reclaim the vacation days on which you were sick, provided that you notify your work place on the first day of your illness and also submit a doctor’s note as soon as possible. You must obtain your supervisor’s approval for any extension of your vacation on the grounds of sickness.
Sick children
If a child who has not yet reached the age of 12 falls ill, there is an entitlement to time off work without pay in accordance with § 45 SGB V and, for employees with statutory health insurance, an entitlement to sick pay from the health insurance for 15 working days per child and parent per calendar year. Single parents are entitled to 30 working days per child per calendar year. If you have several children, each parent is entitled to no more than 35 days, for single parents no more than 70 working days. Civil servants can apply for special leave. Information on this can be obtained from the departmental administration, the office management or your HR officer. If you are voluntary insured with a private health insurance, please contact your health insurance company to find out whether you are entitled to sick pay.
Caring for relatives
On the basis of the Home Care Leave Act (Pflegezeitgesetz) and the Family Care Leave Act (Familienpflegezeitgesetz), it is possible to take unpaid leave from work if you need to care for a close relative who is incapacitated. For more information, see the notes to the staff circular (Personalblatt 04/2015 of July 20, 2015).