I get nine fully-paid sick days, which is unusually high in the UK (the standard is 0). SSP in the UK is basically nothing (and until last month WAS nothing for the first week), so people typically have no choice if they want to eat food and live in their home. Is German statutory sick pay meaningfully higher?

To be honest if I was actually off work when I genuinely should be, it probably would average about 15 days a year.