# Sick leave costs Spain €92 billion annually

31 October 2026 at 10:43

> Spanish sick leave costs now exceed education spending as temporary disability absences surge by 73% since 2018, according to Aecoc.

Sick leave costs **Spain** €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 **EU** average.

Spanish workers lose an average of 4.9 weeks per year to illness, the highest in the **OECD**. 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 **logistics sector** recorded the highest absenteeism at 7.56%. By late 2024, 17.4% of active leaves had remained open for more than twelve months.


[#SpainEconomy](<https://spainnews.co.uk/hashtag/spaineconomy>) #LaborMarket #SickLeave #Aecoc #Absenteeism

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