Feigning Illness | Wage Continuation Fraud

In Duisburg and across the Lower Rhine, nationally and cross-border, our IHK-certified detectives investigate employee-related offences for companies from Germany and abroad. Sick leave fraud is the most frequently examined violation of labour law obligations. Fair and transparent fees, as well as the admissibility of evidence in court, are a given for Kurtz Investigations Duisburg: +49 203 3196 0052.

The "Yellow Certificate" – Popular with Young and Old

The medical certificate of incapacity for work is, for many employees, a convenient means for a variety of occasions: an extended weekend with the family, a match of their favourite sports club, a show by a favourite comedian, DIY work at home, an unauthorised secondary job, or simply a bit of relaxation. Other employees misuse sick leave not solely for personal gain, but primarily to get back at the employer, for example if they were denied a promotion or pay rise, their requested holiday was refused, or their work performance was criticised. When a sudden incapacity for work follows such events, it is a strong indicator of feigned illness, taking a "time out" at the expense of your company and the health insurance system.

Our commercial detectives in Duisburg have extensive experience in observing employees and can provide legally admissible proof if the suspicion is confirmed. Do not hesitate to contact us at the first signs of suspicious behaviour. The earlier it is addressed, the lower the direct damages and the more effectively potential copycat offences are prevented. Use our contact form to describe your case, or call us for an initial, non-binding consultation at Kurtz Commercial Detective Agency Duisburg: +49 203 3196 0052.

Is the Suspicion Correct or Not? Detectives for Certainty.

In 2015, Duisburg had 165,788 employees subject to social security contributions. The majority are loyal and reliable workers, but unfortunately, there are also the few who deliberately and often repeatedly harm their employers. For employers, it is not always easy to differentiate between truth and deception when an employee reports sick. An employee calling in sick due to a common cold cannot automatically be suspected of fraud, even though everyone knows that some people work through illness while others rush to the doctor at the first sneeze. To confirm wage continuation abuse, it must be proven that the employee is either not genuinely incapacitated and/or does not take reasonable and adequate steps to restore their ability to work (counterproductive behaviour during recovery).

Observation of the suspect employee, along with meticulous documentation of actual behaviour by our detectives in Oberhausen, Moers, and across North Rhine-Westphalia, enables the employer to take appropriate labour law action and, if applicable, claim costs such as detective fees. For case-specific advice, send a detailed description of your concern via email to kontakt@kurtz-detektei-duisburg.de or contact us for a non-binding consultation at +49 203 3196 0052.