Simon Sahner on Sick Days and How We Talk About Them  The Myth of the Lazy Sick Person

If you’re sick, you’re sick – you can’t work. That would seem obvious. Yet some voices in politics and business suggest that people take sick leave out of laziness or weakness. Simon Sahner criticises this view and highlights the serious social consequences of such assumptions.

Have you ever wondered whether it was really necessary to be ill? It’s an odd question, since very few people choose to become ill. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, however, appears to see things slightly differently. In January 2026, he took issue with the number of sick days German employees take on average per year: “Is that really right? Is that really necessary?”

We can, of course, ask whether as a society we are doing enough to keep people healthy – by reducing overall stress, investing in preventive healthcare and promoting healthier lifestyles. But that was likely not what Merz had in mind. His remarks made it quite clear that, in his view, Germans take sick leave too often, in other words, they are signing themselves off work unnecessarily.

Illness and Guilt: An Unhealthy Combination

The Chancellor’s statement is a problematic way of speaking publicly about illness and being sick in general. In a capitalist society, where individuals are judged – not least – by their productivity, sick people constantly risk being labelled lazy. Perhaps their suffering isn’t so severe after all; perhaps they could still work; or perhaps – the most damaging accusation – they are simply feigning illness to avoid it. As a result, many people develop a sense of guilt alongside their illness, denying themselves the rest they need to recover. Those with a cold drag themselves to work rather than be seen as lazy. Those with chronic conditions grit their teeth on their worst days so that no one can accuse them of faking it. And those whose illnesses are not immediately apparent may prefer not to mention them at all.

No Weakness Allowed

Loaded questions like those posed by Friedrich Merz are part of the reason why so many people take pride in not being “knocked out” by illness. In the debate sparked by Merz’s remarks, a Business Insider video went viral, putting managers on the spot by asking when they had last taken sick leave. Most replied with visible pride that it had never happened – or if it had, only many years ago. Since it is unlikely that these mostly older men have never been ill enough to stop working, we can only assume that they either continued working through illness or felt uncomfortable admitting on camera that they are sometimes unable to work for health reasons. Either way, speaking about illness like this – whether by denying it outright or making a show of refusing to let it affect one’s performance – frames illness as a form of weakness. Once people stop speaking openly about their health for fear of that label, society will find itself on a slippery slope that leads, inevitably, to a more troubling question: How much is a person worth depending on their condition?

Prevention As a Social Responsibility

Honest, open discussion about illness and disability, however, is a crucial prerequisite for ensuring people receive proper treatment – and for raising awareness of certain conditions. The nearly 15 sick days German employees take on average each year may well seem too high from an economic standpoint. But if that is the concern, the first question we should be asking is what we as a society can do to help reduce the incidence of illness.

April 2026