SerbiaGerman Chancellor Friedrich Merz has raised concerns over increasing employee absences due to illness, which he claims are negatively impacting productivity and raising costs for businesses. In response, the German government plans to abolish the practice of self-reported sick days and require medical certificates for the first day of absence, aiming to improve competitiveness. Similar issues have been noted in Serbia, where the Serbian Chamber of Commerce (PKS) highlighted widespread misuse of sick leave in various industries across multiple regions. The problem has led some companies to halt operations during peak absence periods. In Germany, data shows employees were absent for an average of 20.8 days in 2024, leading to significant production losses and rising wage compensation costs. These figures highlight growing economic concerns related to workforce health and productivity.
Lectura del sesgo (Centro): The article presents both the German government's proposed reforms and the issue of absenteeism in Serbia, providing statistical evidence and quotes from officials without overtly favoring one side. It frames the issue as a matter of economic competitiveness rather than ideological positioning, and
