Guide · 18 June 2026
What to Tell Your Employer on the First Day of Sickness
A practical guide to prompt sickness notification in Germany: timing, channel, likely duration, and medical privacy.
Notify without unnecessary detail
German employees generally need to tell their employer about incapacity for work and its expected duration without undue delay. That usually means contacting the designated person before or around the normal start of work, using the channel set by the employer. A colleague may not be the right recipient if the handbook names a manager or HR mailbox.
You normally do not need to disclose a diagnosis. The practical message states that you are unable to work, gives the current expected duration if known, and explains that required proof will be available.
Keep the message factual
If the likely end date is uncertain, say so rather than promising a return. Update the employer when the period changes. Keep a dated copy of the message and note any call, including who answered and what was agreed.
Check the workplace rule
Some employers require evidence earlier than the general statutory threshold. Read the contract, collective agreement, and sickness policy. Electronic transmission does not remove the employee’s separate duty to notify the employer promptly.