EVwire brief: Tesla has reduced sick leave at its Grünheide factory to below 5%, down roughly 70% from 2024’s typical 15-17%. The improvement follows a mix of employee incentives and stricter handling of sick pay.
Giga Berlin had previously struggled with high absenteeism, with roughly 2,000 of 12,000 employees on sick leave at one point in 2024. Plant manager André Thierig attributed the shift to a “new spirit” within the workforce.
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Context:
Tesla introduced measures to motivate its employees at Giga Berlin, including a stock ownership plan, an attendance bonus, expanded on-site amenities such as a gym and barbershop, and employee perks like discounted €25/day Tesla rentals.
According to Thierig, these changes have improved morale and engagement.
“They simply like to come in already dressed in their work clothes. People think it's awesome.”
As noted by Handelsblatt, Giga Berlin’s rise in attendance is also due to Tesla’s more assertive approach to managing sick leave. Employees on sick leave reportedly received letters stating they would not receive continued pay due to suspected recurring illness:
“We therefore currently assume that you are suffering from a recurring illness and dispute the recovery from the illness certified to you and the occurrence of a new (...) illness.”
Under German labor law, employers are required to pay wages for up to six weeks per illness. Continued payment depends on whether a new, unrelated illness can be established.
Tesla has also questioned data from health insurance providers, stating:
“Given the self-interest of the health insurance companies in not having to pay sick pay, we unfortunately often had to recognize that statements by the health insurance companies that there were no pre-existing conditions that could be taken into account were incorrect.”
Giga Berlin is estimated to have about 11,500 employees today
How Tesla is enforcing the policy
Tesla has reportedly required additional documentation from employees to verify eligibility for continued sick pay.
This includes requests to release doctors from confidentiality and provide detailed explanations of medical conditions and their impact on work ability.
Employees have been asked to:
Demonstrate that a condition is new and not recurring
Provide detailed descriptions of symptoms and limitations
Allow medical verification beyond standard certificates
The approach has drawn criticism from labor experts. Gregor Thüsing, a professor of labor law at the University of Bonn, said: “This seems to me to go beyond what the law requires.”
Source: Nius, Handelsblatt, and Welt
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