Process wage replacement benefits digitally and reliably with ZEUS® Time and Attendance software

When a new period of incapacity for work raises the question of whether previous illnesses can be taken into account, things can quickly become complex. With the digital recording of periods of incapacity for work and integration with the eAU process, ZEUS® Workforce Management provides the basis for seamless processing and, with the EEL procedure, also supports companies in assessing whether previous illnesses can be taken into account.

Incapacity for work is initially a completely normal process in personnel administration. However, if several periods of absence occur within a certain period, an important question may arise: Is the current incapacity for work due to a new illness, or can it be attributed to a previous illness? This is precisely what the dialogue procedure for determining whether previous illnesses can be taken into account, known as the EEL procedure, was created for.

For employers, this means: relevant periods of absence need to be considered, the requirements for a request need to be checked and the response from the social insurance provider then needs to be processed correctly. ZEUS® supports this process by recording the necessary information in a structured way and reliably incorporating the responses into the subsequent process.

EEL and Time Tracking: why the connection matters
The necessary information does not only arise when an EEL request is submitted. It is already part of everyday time tracking:

• Periods of incapacity for work are recorded as absences.
• Through the eAU process, incapacity-for-work data can be provided electronically and incorporated into the digital process.
• The start and end of periods of absence are documented in the personnel calendar.
• Existing periods of absence can be used to assess relevant previous illnesses.
• Employee master data provides the basis for electronic data exchange.
• Responses must subsequently be assigned to the relevant process.

The time tracking system therefore already contains a large part of the information relevant to the EEL process. Instead of establishing an additional process separate from the time tracking system, ZEUS® integrates the EEL procedure directly into the existing application. This makes a significant difference.

From absence to EEL Request
In ZEUS®, relevant periods of incapacity for work are mapped within the system. The information provided via the eAU process can be incorporated into the digital workflow. If the requirements for a previous-illness request are met, the user receives a corresponding notification. The status of the request is also displayed directly in the system. In the personnel calendar, ZEUS® uses different status indicators:

• Blue: a previous-illness request can be submitted.
• Gold: the request has been submitted and a response is still pending.
• Green: periods that can be taken into account have been reported for the requested incapacity for work.
• Red: there are no periods that can be taken into account for an existing previous illness.

Additional status indicators can show, for example, that an AU certificate is still pending, that a review is in progress or that a request has been cancelled. This turns a complex administrative process into a visually transparent and traceable workflow within ZEUS® Time and Attendance.

Assess previous illnesses without switching between systems
A key advantage is the direct connection with existing ZEUS® data. For example, a request can be initiated directly from the personnel calendar via the context menu of the relevant period of incapacity for work. Alternatively, an overview of previous-illness requests is available. Responses are also processed directly in ZEUS®.

This makes it possible, for example, to see immediately whether there are periods that can be taken into account. If such periods exist, they are listed in the detailed overview; the total number of days that can be taken into account is also displayed. The information therefore remains exactly where it is needed in everyday work: in the time tracking solution. The EEL module in ZEUS® was certified by ITSG on 8 May 2026.

ZEUS® connects data, assessment and response
This is precisely the difference between purely electronic transmission and an integrated digital process.

ZEUS® supports the entire process:

• Record incapacity for work: the relevant absence is available in the ZEUS® personnel calendar.
• Identify the requirements: ZEUS® detects when the requirements for a previous-illness request are met.
• Submit the request: the previous-illness request can be initiated directly from the calendar or the relevant overview.
• Retrieve the response: the response from the social insurance provider is retrieved electronically and assigned to the relevant process.
• Track the result: periods that can be taken into account and the respective processing status are displayed directly in ZEUS®.

This creates a seamless digital workflow, from recording the absence through to the response regarding potentially relevant previous illnesses.

Why an integrated solution makes a difference for HR
The EEL procedure is a good example of how the requirements placed on digital time tracking solutions are changing. Today, a time tracking system needs to do more than simply document when employees have worked. It needs to process information in a structured way, communicate with other systems and support HR processes digitally.

This becomes particularly clear with more complex absence processes: working time data is already available. Absences have already been documented. Relevant employee and master data are already stored in the system. So why establish a separate process for the subsequent assessment? ZEUS® brings this information together and makes the EEL procedure available directly within the existing time tracking system.

ZEUS® turns time data into digital HR processes
With the EEL procedure, ZEUS® expands digital time tracking with another automated process. From recording working hours and managing absences to the digital assessment of previous illnesses: ZEUS® brings relevant information together and makes complex HR processes more transparent. The result is fewer system changes, clear status information and a seamless digital process for personnel administration.