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Krankschreibung Sick Days Ausbildung Rules: What Every Moroccan Trainee Needs to Know

2025-01-05

Learn the exact rules for calling in sick during your Ausbildung in Germany — from eAU notes to sick pay — and avoid costly mistakes.

Getting sick is never convenient, but when you're in the middle of your Ausbildung in Germany, a simple cold can feel stressful if you don't know the rules. Understanding Krankschreibung sick days Ausbildung rules isn't just about staying out of trouble — it's about knowing your rights and protecting your training contract. Many Moroccan trainees lose pay, get warnings, or even face contract issues simply because nobody explained the process to them clearly. This guide fixes that.

What "Krankschreibung" Actually Means in the Ausbildung Context

The word Krankschreibung literally means "sick note" or "medical certificate." In Germany, it's the official doctor's confirmation that you are unfit to work or train on a given day or period. During your Ausbildung, you are treated much like a regular employee when it comes to sickness — which is both good news and bad news depending on the situation.

The good news: German law gives you strong protections. The bad news: the rules are specific and must be followed exactly, or you risk disciplinary consequences.

Your legal basis is the Entgeltfortzahlungsgesetz (EFZG) — the Continued Pay Act — and your Ausbildung contract (Berufsausbildungsvertrag). Both set out exactly what you must do when you can't come in.

The First Rule: Call Your Training Company Before Your Shift Starts

This is the single most important action. If you wake up sick, you must notify your Ausbildungsbetrieb (training company) before your shift begins — not during, not after. In Germany, this is called the Meldepflicht (duty to report).

Here's what a correct notification looks like in practice:

• Call by phone — don't just send a WhatsApp or email unless your company explicitly says that's OK. A phone call is the standard.
• Call your direct supervisor or the HR department, not just a colleague.
• Tell them you are sick and cannot come in, and give a rough idea of how long you expect to be absent (even if you're not sure yet).
• If you're sick on the first day of the working week (e.g., Monday), call early — ideally 30 minutes before your shift starts.

A simple script in German: "Guten Morgen, ich bin leider krank und kann heute nicht zur Arbeit kommen. Ich werde einen Arzt aufsuchen und mich um eine Krankmeldung kümmern."

Missing this step — even if you later bring a doctor's note — can result in a written warning.

When Do You Need a Doctor's Note?

This question trips up a lot of trainees, because the rules changed in recent years and vary slightly by employer.

The General Legal Rule

By law, your employer can require a Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung (AU-Bescheinigung) — a certificate of incapacity for work — from the first day of absence. However, most employers only require it from the third day (so if you're sick Monday, you need the note by Wednesday morning at the latest).

Check your Ausbildungsvertrag carefully. Some companies write in that they want the note from day one. This is legal and binding.

The eAU — The Digital Sick Note

Since January 2023, Germany uses the elektronische Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung (eAU). This means:

• Your doctor sends the sick note digitally directly to your health insurance (Krankenkasse).
• Your Krankenkasse then makes it available to your employer electronically.
• You no longer need to hand in a yellow paper slip in most cases.

Important: You still need to go to the doctor and get the AU issued. The process is just paperless now. Your employer will retrieve the data digitally. If something goes wrong technically, you may still be asked for the paper version as a backup.

When You're Sick and Have Berufsschule (Vocational School)

Being sick also means you must inform your Berufsschule separately. Your training company and your school are two different institutions. Missing school without notification can count as unauthorized absence, which has its own consequences including repeated failure affecting your exam eligibility.

Sick Pay During Your Ausbildung: How Much Do You Get?

Here is where the Entgeltfortzahlungsgesetz really protects you. As long as you have been in your Ausbildung for more than four weeks, you are entitled to 100% of your Ausbildungsvergütung (training allowance) for up to six weeks per illness.

Real Numbers

Let's say you're in the second year of your Ausbildung as a Kaufmann für Büromanagement in Frankfurt and you earn €900/month. If you're sick for three weeks with the flu, your employer must pay you the full €900 for those three weeks — you don't lose a single euro.

After six weeks of the same illness, payment switches to Krankengeld — sick pay from your health insurance (Krankenkasse). Krankengeld is approximately 70% of your gross income, paid by your health insurance for up to 78 weeks.

The Four-Week Waiting Period

In your very first four weeks of Ausbildung (the Wartezeit), you are not yet entitled to continued pay. If you get sick in week two of your training, your employer is not legally required to pay you. This is rare but worth knowing.

What Happens If You're "Sick Too Often"?

This is the topic that worries most trainees. There is no fixed number of sick days in German law that automatically triggers termination. It's not like "10 days and you're out." But there are real-world consequences to frequent sick leave.

Patterns That Raise Red Flags

• Repeatedly being sick on Mondays and Fridays
• Being sick right after your vacation is denied
• Short absences that add up to 30+ days per year without a clear medical reason

These patterns can lead to:

1. A personal conversation (Gespräch) with your supervisor or HR
2. A written warning (Abmahnung) if the behavior continues
3. In extreme cases, termination — but only after a formal process

"Personenbedingte Kündigung" — Termination Due to Illness

A training company can in theory terminate your contract if your illness makes it impossible for them to plan staffing and it's reasonably expected to continue. But this requires:

• A pattern of absences documented over a long period
• A formal process including warnings
• A proportionality check

For a first or second sick episode, this is almost never a concern. Don't panic.

What People Get Wrong About Sick Days in Ausbildung

This section could save you from a serious mistake.

Mistake 1: Sending a WhatsApp to your buddy instead of calling HR. Your message may never reach the right person. Always call the official contact.

Mistake 2: Waiting until you feel better to go to the doctor. If your employer requires the note from day three, you must have seen a doctor by day three — even if you feel better. Don't go to the doctor on day five and ask them to backdate the certificate. Doctors generally refuse to do this, and attempting it is a legal gray area.

Mistake 3: Thinking the eAU means you don't need to do anything. You still need to physically (or by phone/video, depending on the practice) consult a doctor. The eAU is just the transmission method, not a replacement for the medical consultation.

Mistake 4: Forgetting to notify the Berufsschule. Many trainees notify their company but forget the school. Both need to hear from you.

Mistake 5: Not tracking your own sick days. Keep a personal record. After six weeks of the same illness, your pay structure changes. Knowing where you stand helps you plan.

Mistake 6: Assuming "sick leave resets every year." The six-week continued pay entitlement applies per illness episode. If you're sick with the same diagnosed illness twice in 12 months, the second episode may not restart the six-week clock.

Practical Tools and Contacts to Know

• Your Krankenkasse (health insurance): AOK, TK, Barmer, DAK are the most common. Log into your online account to see your AU records.
• Your Ausbildungsvertrag: Re-read the clauses about sick leave obligations. They vary.
• Telefonische Krankschreibung: Some doctors now allow phone consultations for mild illnesses (up to 5 days). Check with your Hausarzt (GP).
• Bundesministerium für Gesundheit (BMG): www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de — official source for health-related legal questions in Germany.

Conclusion

Knowing the Krankschreibung sick days Ausbildung rules protects both your health and your career. The core principle is simple: call in before your shift, see a doctor within the required timeframe, and make sure the eAU is issued and transmitted. Your pay is protected by law for up to six weeks, and occasional illness will not end your training contract. What causes real problems is ignoring the notification duty or missing the Berufsschule without informing them.

If you're still preparing for your Ausbildung — working on your application letter or building your CV — book a consultation with our German immigration specialist (€16) to plan your move. Our Anschreiben Generator and CV Builder are designed specifically for Moroccan applicants navigating the German system.