Belgium faces rising long-term sickness and absenteeism costs

Belgium is facing a significant rise in long-term sickness, with approximately 585,000 people currently unable to work for extended periods. Data from Inami indicates that mental health issues, specifically burnout and depression, are driving this trend. Between 2021 and 2025, cases of long-term disability due to behavioral or psychological problems rose by nearly 25 percent, with burnout and depression increasing by 32 percent. Self-employed individuals have been hit hardest, seeing a 65.1 percent increase in such cases.

Despite these rising numbers and the associated costs—which have seen national health insurance expenses surge by 78 percent since 2019—many Belgian companies remain unprepared. A study by Mensura reveals that 46 percent of enterprises do not strictly monitor their absenteeism figures, and an equal number are unaware of the annual costs incurred. This lack of oversight is particularly prevalent among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

New regulations will increase the financial burden on employers, requiring them to pay 30 percent of sickness benefits during the second and third months of long-term absence, with further extensions planned for 2027. Approximately 46 percent of companies report that absenteeism is a strong to very strong disruption to their daily operations.