Extremadura medical leaves concentrated among 9% of workers

A study based on 2024 Social Security data shows that a small group of workers in Extremadura is responsible for a significant portion of medical leaves. Specifically, 9% of employees experienced two or more medical leaves within a twelve-month period, accounting for 50.1% of total leave processes and 47.6% of all lost workdays.

On average, approximately 21,000 workers are on temporary disability each day in the region. This results in a loss of 5.9% of potential workdays, a figure closely aligned with the Spanish national average of 5.94%.

The volume of these absences has increased by 54% since 2018, with the associated cost rising to 1,546 million euros. While Extremadura has the lowest percentage of employees repeating absences compared to other Spanish autonomous communities, the economic and labor impact of temporary disability continues to grow.