Work absences cost Spain 92 billion a year and are growing almost five times faster than in the EU

Spain incurs annual costs of €92 billion due to labor absences, significantly surpassing public education spending. Since 2018, temporary incapacity absences have risen by 73%, with Spanish workers losing an average of 4.9 weeks per year, the highest in the OECD. A small percentage of workers account for the majority of absences, with long-term sick leave increasing by 95% since 2018. The profile of absent workers has shifted, with younger workers seeing a 152% rise in absences. Companies attribute some issues to healthcare wait times and believe current regulations are ineffective. Aecoc suggests reforms to improve public health services and workplace conditions to reduce avoidable costs.