Sick Note Letter Generator
Create a sick note letter to your employer with the period, type of notification and pay-continuation hints, as a print-ready PDF.
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Sick note letter template: notify your employer in Germany
The Sick Note Letter Generator creates a PDF notification to your employer. Enter addresses and the expected absence period, then print and sign it. It also documents an extended absence. It is not a medical certificate of incapacity for work, (AU-Bescheinigung). A medical practice issues that certificate following medical assessment.
Choose illness, a work accident or a postponed return to work after recovery. The short version states the period and asks the employer to excuse and record the absence. The detailed version allows an explanation in your own words. You normally need no diagnosis. Both the explanation and employee number are optional.
Note: Notify your employer promptly and follow your workplace procedure. The PDF replaces neither notification through the required channel nor medical evidence. Relevant German provisions include § 5 EFZG and § 3 EFZG. The result is for orientation only and is not a substitute for legal advice. As of: October 2026.
How it works
- Enter the employer and employee names and addresses. Add an employee number if needed.
- Set the start and expected end dates of your absence and select the notification type.
- Choose the short or detailed version. Include only information you actually wish to disclose.
- Add the place and date, create the PDF and review the letter before signing and sending it.
What it can and cannot do
The generator creates a formal letter with addresses, subject and signature line. It checks the date order. It sends no notification to your employer or health insurer. Your entries and PDF creation stay within your browser. The tool cannot diagnose illness, certify incapacity or calculate continued pay or sickness benefit. It also cannot replace a required accident report. Keep a copy and check that your employer actually received the notification.
Frequently asked questions
Must I call first, or is the letter enough?
Do not wait for a letter if that would delay notification. Contact the responsible person promptly through the channel your workplace requires. If the procedure requires a call, telephone first. The letter can document it afterwards. Include the expected duration and report changes. A PDF alone proves no receipt.
When do I need a medical certificate?
If incapacity lasts longer than three calendar days, § 5 EFZG requires medical evidence by the next working day. This often means the fourth calendar day. Employers may require evidence earlier, including on the first day of illness. Under eAU, you still need a timely medical assessment. Check your contract and workplace rules.
Do I need to report illness on the first day?
Yes. Notifying the employer is separate from obtaining medical evidence. You must report your incapacity and its expected duration promptly, even before a medical appointment. Medical evidence deadlines do not delay your notification duty. Contact your employer again if the absence lasts longer than you originally expected.
Will my employer learn my diagnosis?
The regular eAU procedure does not disclose your diagnosis to the employer. It provides information including the period of incapacity. Your own letter normally needs no diagnosis either. Leave medical findings, medication and treatment details out of the optional explanation. Selecting work accident does not replace separate accident reporting obligations.
How does the electronic sick note work?
Since 2023, eAU has been the usual procedure for employees with statutory health insurance. The medical practice sends the data to the insurer, and the employer retrieves it there. You must still notify your employer yourself. The generator handles no eAU data. Private insurance, private medical practices and other exceptions can still require paper evidence.
How long does continued pay last?
Under § 3 EFZG, eligible employees receive continued pay for up to six weeks. Statutory entitlement generally starts after four weeks of uninterrupted employment. Recurring illness can affect the duration. Eligible employees with statutory insurance may then receive sickness benefit; work accidents may instead involve injury benefit. Ask your personnel department and insurer about entitlement.