Heute KrankGuides
A Sick Note at the Weekend: Which Routes Exist
Ill on Saturday morning, back at work on Monday: it is exactly this gap that the on-call service and the video consultation exist for. This page sets out which route fits when and what counts for validity.
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How do you get a sick note at the weekend?
Most practices are closed on Saturdays and Sundays, yet people still fall ill. Three routes remain: the German on-call medical service on 116117, which refers you to practices on duty; a video consultation that also takes place at the weekend; and, for serious symptoms, the emergency department.
One thing to be clear about: the emergency department is for emergencies, not for certificates. Anyone sitting there with a cold waits a long time and often does not get a certificate of incapacity for work anyway, because it is simply not provided for there.
Does a video sick note work on Saturdays and Sundays too?
Yes. This video consultation takes place daily from 9 am to 10 pm, including weekends and public holidays. A doctor licensed in Germany sees you and asks questions in the video consultation; if incapacity for work is medically justifiable, you receive the certificate as a PDF. The doctor sets the duration individually.
For mild acute symptoms such as a cold, flu or a stomach bug this is the fastest reputable route. With warning signs such as shortness of breath, chest pain or sudden severe pain, the examination belongs in a practice or an emergency department; such appointments are declined and referred on.
Is it enough to wait until Monday?
In employment law terms, often not. You have to report sick without delay, that is before your next shift starts. And the medical finding generally takes effect from the day of the examination: if you only see a doctor on Monday, incapacity for work is usually certified from Monday as well.
Backdating to the weekend is an absolute exception and is ruled out in the video consultation. If your employer requires the certificate from the first day, seeing a doctor during the weekend itself is therefore the safe route.
Is a weekend certificate from a video consultation valid?
Yes. What counts for validity is genuine contact with a doctor, not the day of the week and not the channel. Labour courts have expressly recognised private video sick notes (Arbeitsgericht Erfurt, judgment of 19 July 2023, case no. 4 Ca 32/23).
You receive the certificate as a PDF and submit it to your employer yourself. That applies to people with statutory insurance too; the electronic retrieval through the health insurer exists only in the statutory panel-doctor system.
This text is general information and does not replace medical advice in an individual case. In case of acute danger call 112; outside consulting hours the German on-call medical service is available on 116117.