Catalonia, above the Spanish average in workplace absenteeism

Catalonia records one of the highest levels of work absenteeism in Spain. The latest sectoral reports indicate that the community exceeds the national average by two-tenths and ranks among the most affected by prolonged sick leaves. According to recent data, the absenteeism rate in Catalonia reached 7.6% in the fourth quarter of 2024.

This figure contrasts with the national average of 7.4% and significantly exceeds the 6.9% recorded in regions like Madrid or Andalusia. The differences between autonomous communities reflect a gap of up to 2.6 percentage points. This shows a territorial disparity that is also sustained over time.

Within this phenomenon, temporary disabilities due to common illness or non-occupational accidents account for the majority of cases. In Catalonia, three-quarters of absences are directly linked to the worker's health condition. The Health Minister, Olga Pané, already pointed out at the time that the medical leave rate rises to 47 per 1,000 workers. This is 15 points more than Madrid.

a political debate

This high level of sick leaves has caused political and institutional debate that has even reached Parliament. Two months ago, for example, an economic incentive system was proposed for CAP doctors to consider the recommendations of occupational mutuals when issuing medical discharges. The measure was withdrawn shortly after, following criticisms that labeled it as an attempt at covert privatization of the public health system.

From an economic standpoint, the impact of work absenteeism in Catalonia is significant. A report prepared by the employers' association PIMEC estimates that the annual costs derived from temporary disabilities reach 2.745 billion euros, representing 1.01% of the community's GDP. Additionally, Catalan workers accumulate an average of 7.5 hours of medical leave per month, double that of a decade ago.

Throughout the country, work absenteeism has experienced a sustained increase since the pandemic. In 2018, the rate was around 5%, while in 2024 it has consolidated above 7%. During the last quarter of the past year, 31 hours of absence per worker were recorded, equivalent to more than 1.2 million employees not attending their workplace any day during that period.

causes and consequences

Among the factors identified as causing the increase are the aging of the active population, the rise in mental health ailments, and deficiencies in the management of sick leaves by Social Security. The lack of effective mechanisms to supervise and expedite temporary disability processes has contributed to keeping the figures at high levels. This is another example of bureaucratic inefficiency, which is a constant in the Catalan administration.

By sectors, the industry leads the absenteeism list with a rate of 8.1%, followed by the services sector with 7.3%. Health activities present the highest percentage of absences, with 11.5%, well above the general average.

The persistence of these figures generates concern in the Catalan business fabric. Especially in small and medium-sized enterprises, which find it more difficult to replace employees on leave. All this aside from the increasing labor costs that companies must face.