53 000 Slovenes on sick leave every day, the ZZZS warns of an increase in long-term absences

Every day, approximately 53,000 Slovenians are absent from work due to sick leave, according to data from the Slovenian Health Insurance Fund (ZZZS). This means roughly seven workers out of every 100 are off work daily because of illness. The ZZZS has highlighted concerns over the increasing number of long-term sick leaves despite a reduction in lost working days this year following stricter rules and enhanced oversight. On July 1, electronic guidelines regarding conduct during sick leave will be introduced, aiming to increase responsibility among insured individuals and streamline notifications. According to annual data from last year, around 53,000 people were on sick leave each day in Slovenia, with women averaging 25 days per year and men 16 days. Last year, health insurance funds covered 667 million euros in sick leave costs, while employers contributed a similar amount for wage compensation, totaling nearly 1.2 billion euros. The ZZZS has warned that if more money is directed toward compensating wages, less will remain for medical supplies, medications, and healthcare services. New measures have already led to savings. The ZZZS implemented intervention legislation with stricter rules and monitoring this year, and results are visible within the first five months of the year. As of May 31, compared to the same period last year, the number of lost workdays burdening employers decreased by 23 percent (from 3,304,314 to 2,533,546 days, a reduction of 770,768 days), while the number of days burdening the ZZZS (mandatory health insurance) dropped by 16 percent (from 4,281,059 to 3,584,400 days, a decrease of 696,659 days). According to calculations by the fund, these changes represent total savings of almost 132.1 million euros, with approximately 69.4 million euros saved by employers and 62.7 million euros by the ZZZS. The head of the decision-making area for rights and medical aids at the ZZZS, Ana Vodičar, explained in an interview with Delo that the reduction is difficult to attribute to a single measure, as lay controllers only monitor after 30 days of absence, and the first violation is usually just a warning unless the insured person engages in gainful activity. Data from the ZZZS for May indicates that musculoskeletal system diseases and connective tissue disorders are the leading causes of sick leave, accounting for 274,737 lost days this year compared to 325,071 last year. Following these are injuries and poisonings (210,267 days this year versus 236,756 last year), and mental and behavioral disorders (103,681 days this year versus 118,960 last year). Other factors include contact with healthcare services, certain infectious diseases, and cancers. All mentioned categories show a decline compared to the same period last year, aligning with the overall trend of decreasing lost days. Administrative reasons for sick leave primarily involve illness, with 895,191 days recorded in May this year compared to 1,043,350 last year. Injuries outside of work account for 146,368 days this year versus 163,811 last year, followed by care for close family members (62,827 days this year versus 65,351 last year) and workplace injuries (47,048 days this year versus 55,432 last year). While the total number of lost days is decreasing, the proportion of long-term sick leaves has been rising for several years. According to data published in Delo, ten years ago there were around 19,000 insured individuals whose sick leave duration was such that the compensation shifted to the burden of the ZZZS. Last year, this number had risen to 32,000. Ten years ago, more than 4,500 people were absent from work for over a year due to sick leave, whereas last year this figure approached 10,000. Over 1,500 individuals were on sick leave for more than three years, with the longest continuous sick leave lasting over 14 years. Vodičar emphasized that the ZZZS is particularly concerned about the growing number of long-term sick leave cases, which she described as a developmental issue. She noted that the situation requires careful attention and management to prevent further escalation.