The average duration of sick leave in Austria has continued its downward trend, reaching a historic low according to data released today by Statistik Austria for the year 2025. The average sick leave period stood at 9.1 days last year, down from 9.2 days in 2024 and 9.4 days in 2023. Comparatively, in 1965, the first year recorded, this figure was 18.6 days, more than double the current level. This represents a consistent decline since the earliest recorded data. The trend becomes less clear when examining the average number of sick days per employed person. Last year, this number was 14.7 days, a decrease from 15.1 days in 2024. The lowest recorded value was in 2001 with 12.1 days. Data from the Wifo Fehlzeitenreport published earlier this year indicated that these figures remain higher than they were before the pandemic. According to researcher Christine Mayrhuber, respiratory illnesses have increased significantly since the pandemic and show no signs of abating. Julia Stroj, responsible for health matters within the Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB), described the developments as positive but emphasized there is still no cause for alarm. She stated that every day of sick leave is one too many and called for adequate prevention measures, better working conditions, and reliable protection for employees. Similarly, the Austrian Workers' Chamber (AK) highlighted that many workers continue to work despite being ill. Ines Stilling, head of social affairs at the AK, noted that those who are unwell should have the opportunity to recover without pressure or guilt. While acknowledging that each prevented sick day is a positive outcome, Stilling stressed the importance of not overlooking the causes of illness. She pointed out that work-related stress, staff shortages, and increasing psychological burdens are still common experiences for many employees. Therefore, she argued for creating conditions that prevent people from becoming ill in the first place. In contrast, the Austrian Economic Chamber (WKO) emphasized the need for measures against sick leave abuse. According to Rolf Gleißner, head of the department for social policy at the WKO, the majority of employees behave correctly, but not all. He explained that each lost workday due to sickness costs companies at least 300 euros. Since 1965, the average duration of sick leave has continuously decreased. In 2015, the average duration dropped below ten days for the first time at 9.9 days. Following a slight increase during the coronavirus years (11.7 days in 2020 and 10.3 days in 2021), the values have continued to decline. Despite this overall reduction, the number of sick days per employee has remained relatively stable, suggesting that while individual episodes might be shorter, the total number of sick days has not necessarily decreased significantly. The situation regarding respiratory diseases has been particularly noteworthy. Since the onset of the pandemic, these types of illnesses have increased, and their prevalence shows no sign of diminishing. This suggests that while the duration of sick leaves has reduced, the frequency and impact of certain illnesses could be contributing to sustained levels of absenteeism. The response from different organizations reflects varied perspectives on the implications of these statistics. While some see them as indicative of improved health outcomes and possibly better workplace practices, others caution against complacency, emphasizing the ongoing challenges related to work environments and health conditions. The discussion highlights the complexity of interpreting such data and underscores the need for comprehensive approaches addressing both individual and systemic factors influencing sick leave trends.
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