Absenteeism from work due to illness, days per employee per year

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Data set notes

European Health for All database

Indicators: 565

Updated: 18 October 2024

Contact: Data and Digital Health Unit (DDH)

The following abbreviations are used in the indicator titles:

• SDR: age-standardized death rates (see HFA-DB user manual/Technical notes, page 13, for details)

• FTE: full-time equivalent

• PP: physical persons

• PPP$: purchasing power parities expressed in US $, an internationally comparable scale reflecting the relative domestic purchasing powers of currencies.

More information: http://www.euro.who.int/en/data-and-evidence/databases/european-health-for-all-database-hfa-db

Indicator notes

Absenteeism from work due to illness, days per employee per year
Indicator code: E040102.T

Average number of working days lost per employee per year due to sickness or injury. Maternity leaves are not included. Data from existing sick leave registration systems. For OECD countries data are available from the OECD health database._

Country/Area notes

Albania

Insurance Institute.

Armenia

Source of data until 1997: National Health Information Analytic Center, Ministry of Health of the
Republic of Armenia. Data collected annually, reference period: 31 December.
Note: Data are currently not available.

Austria

Source: Main Association of Austrian Social Security Organisations;
Coverage: Self-employed are not included.

Belgium

Source: AGD. Remark: Only the federal agents were considered (62895) and only absenteeism due to
illness. No registration in the private sector.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Available yearly up to 1990. Source: SIS. War period no data available.

Croatia

1997: Maternity leave excluded 2010. Absenteeism due to accidents at work and occupational diseases
excluded

Cyprus

No data are available

Czechia

Source: Czech Statistical Office. Calculation by the Institute of Health Information and Statistics
of the CR. Number of days lost per year on sick leave (including both illnesses and injuries) per
one sick-insured person.
Coverage: Data cover the entire sick-insured population in the Czech Republic that is defined by
national legislation.
Break in time series: Until 1989 data refer to Trade Unions and members of producers cooperatives;
after 1990 all institutions/enterprises are covered. In 2004, new legislation on sick insurance came
into effect, enforcing tougher conditions on granting sickness allowances.

Denmark

Source: Statbank Denmark (www.dst.dk)2007-2008 :. Tables FRA03 and RASOFF11
2009-2012 : Tables FRA033 and RASOFF22
Calculation method: From 2007 and onwards the numbers are calculated as a weighted average of the
values found in the respective tables.
Break in time series: Between 2008 and 2009 due to a change in the definitions of the sectors in
Denmark.

Estonia

Source: Number of compensated days for illness and sickness (both, the days compensated by the
employer and the days compensated by the National Health Insurance Fund are included), care-taking
of sick family members, injury from work accidents - Health Insurance Fund; number of employed
persons - Estonian Labour Force Survey (State Statistical Office).
Until July 2009 the real number of sickness days per employee is slightly underestimated, as the
first day of sickness was not compensated to the employee. Since July 2009, the first three days of
sickness are not compensated to the employee, therefore the real number of sickness days is even
more underestimated. (Since July, 2009 in the case of sick leave, the employer pays the compensation
from the fourth until the eighth day and the National Health Insurance Fund pays it from the ninth
day onwards.) In the case of care leave or maternity leave, it is paid by the National Health
Insurance Fund as of the first day of leave. Exceptions are illness or injury of a pregnant woman,
in which case the National Health Insurance Fund pays the compensation from the second day onwards.
As a result of an increase in the number of unemployed persons - (according to Statistics Estonia,
the number of unemployed persons increased by 26% when comparing three quarters between 2009 and
2010) - the number of insured persons in employment was decreased by 7% in 2010 compared to 2008. As
a result of both the reduction of the number of insured persons in employment and the change in
payment of benefits for incapacity for work, the number of certificates of incapacity for work
decreased by 25% in 2010 and the number of certificates per insured person in employment decreased
by 20%.
Data revised in December 2014.

Finland

Source: Social Insurance Institute, number of long-term days per 100 employed persons per year,
short-term absenteeism not registered.

Germany

Source: Federal Ministry of Health, KM1-Statistics (statutory health insurance: members and number
of obligatory members reported sick, as an annual average) and KG2-Statistics (statutory health
insurance: including services and times of inability to work) and Federal Statistical Office,
Federal Health Monitoring.
http://www.bmg.bund.de
Coverage: Data refer to work absenteeism due to illness of the members of the public sickness fund
(PSF). It should be noted that such cases have to be recorded only if their duration exceeds three
workdays. Therefore, figures are an underestimation.
Estimation method: Results are extrapolated on the basis of data collected for 12 sample workdays,
which are annually monitored with the respective absenteeism rates projected onto an annual average.
The number of days of inability to work per member of the Statutory Health Insurance is based on the
following calculation: Days of inability to work divided by the annual average number of members of
the Statutory Health Insurance of the respective group of insured persons (here: Employees
obligatorily insured in the Statutory Health Insurance without pensioners, students, practical
trainees and persons in early retirement).

Hungary

Source: Central Statsitical Office. As in the OECD report, the data include the number of days of
sick leave and sick benefits per eligible employee.

Iceland

Estimated figures based on absenteeism due to illness in public institutions having 4900 FTE in
1996. Source: The State Social Security Institute

Ireland

Data are not available.

Israel

Source:Health Information Division, Ministry of Health. Based on Labour Force Surveys, Central
Bureau of Statistics.

Kyrgyzstan

Data are not available.

Lithuania

Source: State Social Insurance Fund (SODRA).
Coverage: Days paid by Social Insurance Fund + 2 days paid by employer.

Luxembourg

Source: General Inspection of Social Security (IGSS). Since 2012, data refer to all employees
excluding those of public administration, impossible to apply results to the entire population.
Before 2012: Rapport general de l'IGSS. Annual report of the General Inspection of Social Security.

Malta

Source: Data for 2008 obtained from the Social Security Department, Ministry for the Family and
Social Solidarity.

Montenegro

Data are not available.

Netherlands

Source of data: TNO Prevention and Health until 1992. Statistics Netherlands from 1993. The data
refer to the percentage of work days lost because of sickness absenteeism.
Coverage: Until 1992, data include maternity leave. From 1993, data exclude maternity leave. Data up
to and including 1992 refer to the enterprise sector. Data from 2003 onwards include also
government. Data from 2004 onwards include absenteeism longer than 1 year (and shorter than 2 years)
due to changed regulation.

North Macedonia

Source: Health Insurance Fund Prepared by: Institute for Public Health (IPH)

Poland

Source of data: From 1980 to 1995 this was calculated by Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine,
Lodz. They stopped this work in 1995. Since 2006 the data on absenteeism has been published by the
Social Insurance Institution which has analysed sick-leave documentation. They routinely calculate
an average absenteeism per person who was ill (and absent at work) in analysed year. The later
values are higher than for the period 1980-1995 but suit the increasing trend.

Portugal

From 1991 the source of data changes from OECD to the Social Security Coverage: Only the employed
population covered by Social Security Schemes is included. The civil servants are not included.

Romania

Source of data: Routine reporting system.

Serbia

No data are available.

Slovakia

Source: Social Insurance Agency in Slovakia.

Slovenia

Source of data: National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia (NIJZ)

Spain

Source: Ministry of Health Ministry of Social Services and Equality. National Health Survey 1987,
1993, 1995, 1997, 2001 and 2003. Data relate to working population aged 16 years and over. Figures
computed excluding missing values.( www.msssi.gob.es)

Sweden

Until 1991 the Swedish sickness cash benefit statistics contained all sickness absence. Since then
not all absence is covered by sickness cash benefit. Not included are all cases up to 14 days. This
means that the first 14 days of all cases longer than 14 days are excluded.
As from 1992 sick pay from employers is included in the Swedish data.
The number of days with sickness cashed benefits or rehabilitation benefits per registered person
excluding disability benefits 16-64 years of age

Türkiye

Source of data: TURKSTAT
Method: Data for 2008, 2010 and 2012 is from Health Interview Surveys database.

Turkmenistan

Data are not available.

Ukraine

Included only data from public hospitals under Ministry of Health.
Source: Centre of Health Statistics, Ministry of Health.

United Kingdom

Source of Data: Health & Safety Executive via the Labour Force Survey published by ONS.
Coverage: Data is for Great Britain only.
There are no data available for 2012/13 from the Health & Safety Executive website.
In 2016 figures for years 2004 to 2014 revised to match data published in the Labour Force Survey.

General notes

Understanding Absenteeism from Work Due to Illness: Days per Employee per Year

Absenteeism due to illness is a critical metric that reflects the health and well-being of the workforce. It measures the average number of days an employee is absent from work due to health issues per year. This indicator not only highlights the direct impact of health on productivity but also serves as a gauge for workplace environments and healthcare effectiveness. Monitoring these statistics helps organizations and policymakers improve workplace policies, enhance health interventions, and ultimately, support the overall health of the population. By analyzing trends and patterns in absenteeism, stakeholders can better understand the underlying causes of health-related work absences and develop strategies to reduce them, fostering a healthier, more productive workforce.

How to Calculate Absenteeism from Work Due to Illness: Days per Employee per Year

The calculation of absenteeism due to illness involves several straightforward steps. It starts by totaling the number of absence days recorded for health reasons over a specified period, typically a year. This total is then divided by the number of employees in the workforce to determine the average days of absence per employee. To ensure accuracy, it's crucial to include all full-time, part-time, and temporary workers in the count. This method provides a clear picture of how health issues are affecting workforce productivity and helps in benchmarking against industry or national averages. Accurate data collection and processing are essential for this calculation to serve as a reliable basis for health and workplace policy development.

The Importance of Monitoring Absenteeism Due to Illness

Tracking absenteeism due to illness is vital for multiple stakeholders. For employers, understanding the extent and patterns of absenteeism can help in identifying health issues within the workforce and the effectiveness of workplace health policies. For public health officials, these statistics are crucial in detecting public health trends and potential outbreaks. Moreover, consistent high levels of absenteeism might indicate broader societal issues such as poor healthcare access or environmental health risks. By addressing these factors, communities can improve public health, enhance productivity, and reduce healthcare costs, making the monitoring of this indicator a key tool in health and economic planning.

Strengths and Limitations of the Absenteeism Metric

While the absenteeism metric is a valuable tool for understanding workforce health and productivity, it comes with its own set of strengths and limitations.

Strengths

This metric provides a quantifiable measure that can be easily tracked and compared over time, offering valuable insights into the health trends of a population. It is particularly useful for human resource managers and health policymakers in crafting strategies to enhance employee well-being and reduce absenteeism. Furthermore, it helps in assessing the effectiveness of workplace health programs and policies, guiding necessary adjustments to foster a healthier work environment.

Limitations

However, the absenteeism metric also has limitations. It does not account for the nuances of why employees might be absent from work, such as mental health issues or unreported illnesses, which can skew the data. Additionally, cultural factors might influence the reporting of illness-related absences, with some employees more likely to report sick days than others. This metric also fails to capture presenteeism, where employees come to work ill, which can also significantly impact productivity and health transmission in the workplace. Therefore, while absenteeism provides useful insights, it should be considered alongside other health and productivity metrics for a comprehensive understanding.

These elements together provide a robust framework for understanding and utilizing the absenteeism from work due to illness metric, guiding effective policy and workplace health strategies.