Spanish businesses demand reforms to combat rising labor absenteeism

Spanish business organizations are calling for deep reforms to the temporary disability system to combat rising labor absenteeism. Foment del Treball has released a ‘White Paper on Absenteeism,’ warning that the issue is becoming unsustainable for the economy and society.

In 2025, the combined cost of temporary disability for common contingencies for the Social Security system and companies reached 33.28 billion euros in Spain, nearly double the amount recorded in 2019. Of this total, companies directly bore 16.115 billion euros. Reports indicate that absenteeism has become a structural drag on productivity, with Randstad Research noting that over 1.6 million people were absent daily during the second quarter of 2026.

Foment del Treball’s proposals include: • Reinstating objective dismissal for workers with frequent or long-term medical leaves (excluding disability). • Shifting the financial burden of the 4th to 15th day of sick leave from companies to mutual insurance providers or the administration. • Reviewing economic incentives and supplements related to common contingency sick leave to ensure working is more financially advantageous than staying home. • Improving coordination between health services, medical inspections, and businesses to reduce waiting lists.