Visits to the doctor during working hours are a topic that regularly concerns both employees and employers. They apply in German labor law generally a private matter and employees are obliged to schedule appointments so that they do not conflict with their working hours. This means that they should attend routine examinations and planned doctor’s visits outside of working hours.
Under certain circumstances, however, there is a right to continued payment of wages in accordance with the Continued Payment of Wages Act (EFZG) and Section 616 of the German Civil Code (BGB). This is the case if the employee is due to an unexpected medical emergency or for other reasons that cannot be postponed must see a doctor during working hours. In such cases, the employer is obliged to continue paying the salary because the employee’s absence is due to a personal reason.
An example of this would be if an employee fell ill while at work and needs to see a doctor to get treatment. Appointments can also be made at Specialists that only take place during regular working hoursfall under this regulation. Caring for a sick child can also mean that an employee is entitled to continued payment of wages if the doctor’s visit cannot be postponed and there is no possibility of attending the appointment outside of working hours.
In order to claim continued payment of wages, the employee must usually present a medical certificate confirming the urgency of the visit to the doctor. In certain cases, employers have the right to request this proof to ensure that the doctor’s visit was indeed urgent.
Part-time and flexi-time employees may have a more difficult time in this regard, as they have more flexible working hours and tend to be able to schedule their doctor’s visits outside of regular working hours. As a rule, they are therefore not entitled to continued payment of wages for visits to the doctor during working hours, unless it is an emergency or a situation that does not allow the appointment to be postponed.
