I'm having surgery in Turkey. Will my sick leave be valid in Germany?

Notification: If you fall ill abroad or cannot work after surgery, inform your employer immediately (ideally on the first working day): that you are sick, the expected duration and your address there. If you have statutory health insurance, you must also inform your Krankenkasse immediately; otherwise you may lose your right to sick pay.

The sick note from Turkey: Germany and Turkey have a social security agreement. Hand the sick note you get from a doctor in Turkey to the SGK (Turkish Social Security Institution) straight away; the SGK forwards it to your German Krankenkasse, which then informs your employer. The note should clearly state the start date, expected duration and diagnosis. Keep a copy yourself and send one to your employer.

Planned surgery: If you have surgery done privately in Turkey, you usually pay the costs yourself; the Krankenkasse only covers planned treatment abroad if it approves it in advance. Before you go, ask your Krankenkasse in writing which documents it needs and how the post-surgery sick note will be accepted.

Holiday or sick leave: If surgery and recovery are documented with a doctor's note, those days are not deducted from your annual leave. Your employer may ask for additional documents if they doubt a foreign sick note, so keep your paperwork complete.

Returning: When you are back in Germany, inform both your employer and your Krankenkasse immediately.