Sick leave costs €92 billion annually, according to the Aecoc Labor Absenteeism Observatory. This figure exceeds public education spending by €20 billion. Temporary disability absences have surged by 73% since 2018, nearly five times the average.
Spanish workers lose an average of 4.9 weeks per year to illness, the highest in the . While the absenteeism rate reached 5.94%, a small group of 16.2% of workers account for 69.3% of leaves. Long-term absences over one year have increased by 95%.
Demographic shifts show sick leaves for workers under 35 rose by 152%, while those for over-55s fell by 27%. The recorded the highest absenteeism at 7.56%. By late 2024, 17.4% of active leaves had remained open for more than twelve months.