Fewer Absences Among AOK Insured in Rhineland-Palatinate - German sick leave trends reveal stark regional divides in 2025
Sick leave patterns among AOK-insured employees shifted in 2025, with notable differences across German states. While Rhineland-Palatinate saw a drop in absence rates, other regions experienced higher figures. New data also reveals the most common causes of work absences and their duration.
In Rhineland-Palatinate, the sickness absence rate fell to 6.5 percent in 2025. This marked a decrease from previous years, even as the state had previously recorded an above-average rise from 5.2 percent in 2023 to 5.8 percent in 2025. Despite this reduction, employees still took fewer sick days overall compared to earlier trends.
Across Germany, nearly two-thirds of AOK members reported at least one sick leave episode in 2025. Each insured person averaged 23.8 days of absence, with the typical episode lasting 10.4 calendar days. Long-term illnesses—those exceeding six weeks—made up 38.2 percent of all lost workdays. Musculoskeletal disorders remained the top cause of sick leave, responsible for 20.5 percent of absences. Respiratory illnesses followed, accounting for 14.8 percent of the total. Meanwhile, Lower Saxony recorded the highest absence rate in 2025 at 6.1 percent, surpassing both Rhineland-Palatinate and the national average.
The 2025 figures highlight regional variations in sick leave trends. Rhineland-Palatinate's decline contrasts with rises in other states, while musculoskeletal and respiratory issues continue to dominate absence reasons. The data provides a clear picture of health-related work disruptions across Germany.
