German Labor Minister Hubertus Heil firmly opposes calls to eliminate sick leave pay for the first day of illness, defending the rights of sick workers. He criticizes the perception of German employees as malingerers, arguing that such changes would particularly harm low-income workers, especially women. His remarks come in response to Allianz CEO Oliver Bäte’s suggestion, which sparked a debate about Germany’s high sick leave rates compared to other EU countries.

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