Now comes the eAU for sick notes

experts.avitea.deavitea.deavitea-industrieservice.deShort eAU. From January 1, 2023, employees will no longer receive three copies of the "yellow slip" from their doctor when they go on sick leave, but only one. The notification to the employer and the health insurance company will be made electronically and without any action on the part of the sick person. This is primarily intended to save paper, manual effort and bureaucracy. But what does this innovation actually mean for employees? What will have to be observed in the future? And where are there exceptions?

What is the electronic certificate of incapacity for work?

The new electronic certificate of incapacity to work is the digital form of the previous "yellow slip". It contains the same data that is printed on the previous paper certificate of incapacity for work:

-      Name of the ill person(s).

-      Start and (expected) end of incapacity for work

-      Date of issue

-      Initial or follow-up certificate.

-      Work accident: yes / no

As in the past, the attending physician fills out the electronic AU in the practice when a work incapacity is determined. This is then transmitted digitally to the statutory health insurance fund and from there to a collection point of the health insurance funds. At this collection point, the employer of the person on sick leave can retrieve the eAU on the following day and thus receives confirmation of the inability to work.

What changes for employees?

Employees are still obliged to inform their employer "immediately" of their inability to work. This fact will not change as a result of the electronic AU. However, from January 01, 2023, employees will no longer have to submit a certificate of incapacity for work to the health insurance fund and the employer. All data will be transferred electronically instead. Of course, the employer will still not receive any information about the reason or background of the illness.

Important: Since it can be assumed that technical errors or system malfunctions may initially occur during electronic transmission, employees will initially continue to receive three paper copies of the AU and should keep these in a safe place until further notice.

What happens in the event of an incident?

Should a malfunction actually occur and the electronic certificate of incapacity for work cannot be transmitted by the practice to the statutory health insurance fund, however, this has no consequences for the person on sick leave. The doctor's office, on the other hand, is obliged to send a printed version of the certificate of incapacity for work by mail to the health insurance company. In such a case, the employee does not have to take any action at first. However, in order to be able to prove the incapacity for work in paper form in the event of a case, employees should still keep their own copy in a safe place.

What do I do if my doctor's office cannot transmit the AU electronically?

If the practice is technically not able to participate in the electronic AU procedure, it will continue to issue three copies of the yellow certificate to the employee. In this case, the person on sick leave must continue to submit the certificate of incapacity for work to the employer. In general, however, medical practices are obliged to equip themselves with the appropriate software for transmitting the eAU.

What are the exceptions?

Of course, there are some cases in which the electronic certificate of incapacity for work cannot be used. These include, above all, sick notes for privately insured and job-seeking or unemployed persons. For privately insured employees, there are currently no plans for electronic transmission of the AU. They will continue to receive paper copies, which they must submit to their employer or health insurer. The same initially applies to customers of the job center or employment agency. Implementation of the eAU procedure is planned here for January 01, 2024.

Moreover, electronic transmission is not yet possible for cases of illness abroad (or medical practices abroad), rehabilitation services, reintegration, employment ban and illness of the child. In these cases, transmission in paper form is still necessary.