Build German Electronic Sick-Note Retrieval Request (eAU Arbeitgeberabruf)

Skill: Convert an absence event into an eAU employer retrieval request

Region: Germany (Deutschland) Category: Health care Does: Takes an employee absence event and assembles the eAU Arbeitgeberabruf — a structured retrieval request that the employer (via its payroll/DEÜV system) sends to the employee's statutory health insurer (Krankenkasse) over KIM / the Telematikinfrastruktur (TI) to pull the elektronische Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung (eAU) dataset. Spec: GKV / gkv-datenaustausch.de — eAU Arbeitgeberverfahren (current Datensatz/version)

Since the abolition of the paper "yellow note", the doctor transmits the AU to the Krankenkasse and the employer pulls the certificate data (start/end of incapacity, follow-up flag, accident indicator) electronically rather than the employee handing it in. The request is sent per absence event once the employer is aware of the incapacity. Element names below follow the eAU dataset and not a verbatim XSD.

When this applies

• A member employee reports sick; the employer issues an eAU retrieval after the obligation to present arises (generally from the day the medical AU is expected), keyed to that employee and insurer.
• Used for follow-up certificates (Folgebescheinigung) and to confirm the end date for continued-pay (Entgeltfortzahlung) calculation.
• Applies to employees in statutory health insurance (GKV); privately insured employees remain outside the eAU procedure.

Structure (FORM → request)

header        employer Betriebsnummer, Krankenkasse IK, request type (initial/repeat)
employee:     versicherungsnummer (SV-Nummer) or name + DOB, membership data
request key:  date from which the AU is queried (Abrufdatum / event date)
response (eAU dataset returned by the Krankenkasse):
   AU start date (Beginn der Arbeitsunfähigkeit)
   AU end date (Ende / voraussichtlich)
   follow-up indicator (Erst-/Folgebescheinigung)
   accident / third-party cause indicator
   feature: AU vorhanden / nicht vorhanden / liegt noch nicht vor

Data rules

• The employer is keyed by Betriebsnummer (BBNR); the insurer by its Institutionskennzeichen (IK); the employee by Versicherungsnummer (SV-Nummer) where available.
• A retrieval may only be sent where an employment relationship and a known incapacity exist; mass/speculative pulls are not permitted.
• The Krankenkasse responds asynchronously: the answer may be "eAU vorhanden" with dates, "liegt noch nicht vor" (retry later), or "keine AU"; build retry/handling logic accordingly.
• Returned dates drive Entgeltfortzahlung (up to 6 weeks) and must reconcile with payroll absence records; the follow-up indicator chains successive certificates.
• Transmission is over KIM / TI secure channels per the GKV data-exchange rules; do not send by ordinary email.

Worked example (outline)

Employer BBNR 12345678, Krankenkasse IK 109500969
Employee SV-Nr. 65170839J005, request date 2026-03-10 (initial)
Response from Krankenkasse:
   eAU vorhanden
   AU Beginn 2026-03-09, voraussichtliches Ende 2026-03-15
   Erstbescheinigung, no accident indicator

Sent as the eAU Arbeitgeberabruf over KIM/TI to the Krankenkasse; returned dates feed Entgeltfortzahlung and payroll absence tracking.

Validation checklist

• Employer Betriebsnummer and insurer IK correct; request type set
• Employee identified by SV-Nummer (or name+DOB) and GKV membership confirmed
• Request only where employment + known incapacity exist; correct Abruf/event date
• Response handling for vorhanden / liegt noch nicht vor / keine AU with retry
• Returned AU start/end and follow-up indicator reconciled with payroll absence
• Dates feed Entgeltfortzahlung (6-week) calculation
• Transmitted over KIM / TI secure channel per GKV rules

Last updated: 2026-06-04 — confirm the current schema/version, identifiers, rounding, and deadline against current authority (gkv-datenaustausch.de / gematik.de) guidance before use.