Sick leave reaches record high - here's what's behind it - Germany's Sick Leave Reaches Record Highs, Driven by Respiratory Illnesses
Sick leave in Germany has reached record highs, with each AOK-insured employee taking an average of 2.3 sick days last year. This trend is set to continue into 2025, driven primarily by respiratory illnesses. The introduction of electronic sick leave notifications in 2022 and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are cited as contributing factors, but employers' associations reject proposals to ease certification rules.
The Federal Association of Local Health Insurance Funds (AOK) reports that in 2024, there were 228 cases of work incapacity per 100 members, exceeding the previous record of 225 cases in 2023. Respiratory illnesses accounted for over one-third of these absences, with early projections suggesting similarly high rates for 2025.
Between September 2024 and March 2025, respiratory infections surged to unprecedented levels, partly due to lingering vulnerabilities from the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) proposed that employees should only need to provide a doctor’s note from the fourth or fifth day of illness to ease the burden on healthcare services. However, employers' associations like the Confederation of German Employers’ Associations (BDA) have rejected this proposal.
While electronic sick leave notifications introduced in 2022 may have contributed to more complete recording of absences, the AOK suspects that factors like healthy working conditions and leadership culture play a more significant role in the increase in sick leave. With respiratory illnesses driving the surge and high absence rates projected to continue, stakeholders are exploring ways to manage this trend effectively.
