Krankengeld Germany 2026 — Lohnfortzahlung 6 weeks + 78-week Krankenkasse rule

• The two-phase German sick-pay system
• How the Krankengeld amount is calculated
• The 78-week rule and Aussteuerung
• Tarifvertrag top-up: when employers pay more

Phase 1 — Lohnfortzahlung (Entgeltfortzahlung im Krankheitsfall, EFZG): for the first 6 calendar weeks (42 days) of illness, your employer pays 100% of your normal gross salary. This is mandatory under §3 EFZG and applies from day 1 — no carenza in Germany.

Phase 2 — Krankengeld: from day 43, your statutory health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenkasse — AOK, TK, Barmer, etc.) takes over and pays 70% of your gross income, capped at 90% of net (whichever is lower). Maximum 78 weeks per illness within a 3-year reference window.

If you change jobs and fall ill in the new role, the 6-week clock RESTARTS — but only if the new role is materially different (different employer / different illness). If the same illness recurs within 6 months of returning to work, the 78-week clock CONTINUES from where it left off.

Your Krankenkasse takes the gross income from the last completed billing period before the illness (typically the last full month before phase 2 begins) and applies: Krankengeld = MIN(0.70 × gross, 0.90 × net).

The 90%-of-net cap rarely binds for low-to-mid earners — for most workers, 70% × gross is below 90% × net. The cap matters most for high earners with high tax burden, where 70% gross might exceed 90% of their actual take-home.

Krankengeld is INCOME-TAX-FREE during the year you receive it BUT subject to Progressionsvorbehalt — meaning it raises the rate that applies to your other income that year. Plan for a small tax adjustment when filing.

Krankengeld is also FREE from social-security contributions (no pension, no health insurance, no unemployment insurance taken from it). This means your effective net income from Krankengeld is closer to 75-85% of your normal net than the headline 70% would suggest.

You can receive Krankengeld for a maximum of 78 weeks (546 days) per illness within a rolling 3-year window. This is called the Bemessungsrahmen.

If your illness persists past 78 weeks, the Krankenkasse 'aussteuert' (releases) you — Krankengeld stops. At this point, your Krankenkasse / Bundesagentur typically prompts you to apply for either: (a) Erwerbsminderungsrente (reduced-earnings pension via Deutsche Rentenversicherung), or (b) Arbeitslosengeld (unemployment benefit if you've been continuously employed during the 3-year window).

Erwerbsminderungsrente has two tiers: full (under 3 hours work capacity) and partial (3-6 hours). The amount is calculated similarly to a regular age pension based on accumulated entgeltpunkte, but with a deduction for early commencement.

Strategy: if you anticipate exceeding 78 weeks, start the Erwerbsminderungs-application at week 70 — the process takes 4-6 months and you don't want a gap between Krankengeld ending and the pension starting.

Many German Tarifverträge top up the Krankengeld during phase 2 to maintain 100% of net salary. Common examples for 2026:

Banking sector (TVöD-Banken): 100% net for weeks 7-26 (so 32 weeks total at full pay).

Public sector (TVöD): 100% net for weeks 7-13 if tenure ≥1 year, weeks 7-26 if tenure ≥3 years.

Metalworkers (IG Metall): 100% net for weeks 7-13 typically, sometimes 7-26 in regional variants.

Retail (Tarifvertrag Einzelhandel): 100% net for weeks 7-9 (just 3 extra weeks above legal floor).

Always check your specific Tarifvertrag (employee's intranet, works council, IG Metall office). The top-up clause is called 'Krankengeldzuschuss' or 'Aufstockungsleistung'.