How sick are Austria's workers really?

In Austria, the average number of sick days taken by employed individuals reached 14.7 per person in the previous year, according to the latest absenteeism report published by the Austrian Institute of Economic Research (WIFO). The report was commissioned by the umbrella organization of social insurance carriers (DVSV), the Chamber of Labour, and the Chamber of Commerce. This figure reflects the average duration of sickness absence among non-self-employed workers. The total number of sick days recorded in Austria has risen significantly since 1970, increasing from approximately 32 million to over 50 million. However, the increase in the number of insured individuals has been even more pronounced. Fifty-five years ago, there were just 2.1 million employees, while the current number stands at nearly 3.7 million. As a result, the average number of sick days per insured individual, currently around 14.7 per year, remains close to the long-term average. Notably, there was a sharp spike in sick days between 2021 and 2022. This sudden rise can be attributed to the end of the pandemic-related exceptional state, which had previously led to unusually low sickness rates due to reduced social interactions and increased remote work. Additionally, the classification of coronavirus infections as regular sickness absences began in the summer of 2022, contributing to the surge in reported cases. Despite this overall trend, the data suggests that people are becoming sick more frequently but for shorter durations. The average duration of a sickness episode dropped to 9.1 days in 2025, marking the lowest level since 1970. One possible explanation is that more frequent, shorter episodes prevent prolonged absences. There is also a noticeable gender gap in sickness patterns. While men were historically more likely to take sick days, women have surpassed them since 2010. In 2025, women averaged 15.5 days of sickness absence compared to 14.1 days for men. This shift is partly due to the growing participation of older women in the workforce and their concentration in sectors with high physical and psychological demands, such as healthcare. Studies conducted by researchers like Christine Mayrhuber from WIFO suggest that these factors contribute to the observed differences.