Spain workplace absenteeism costs €92bn annually

Workplace absenteeism due to temporary medical incapacity has reached an estimated annual cost of €92 billion in Spain, representing 5.8% of the national GDP. According to a report by the Association of Manufacturers and Distributors (AECOC), this figure exceeds Spain's annual public education spending by more than €20 billion.

Data indicates that absences due to temporary incapacity surged by 73% between 2018 and 2024, a growth rate 4.6 times higher than the European Union average of 16%. Spain also records the highest number of annual sick days per worker among 38 OECD advanced economies, with 4.9 weeks lost per worker.

Business organizations, including CEIM and AECOC, are calling for legislative reforms to address what they describe as an uncontrolled phenomenon. Proposed measures include restoring the ability to dismiss employees for repeated absences—a right removed in 2020—and improving data sharing between health services and the National Social Security Institute (INSS) to detect potential fraud and mismanagement.