The high level of absenteeism is currently the subject of debate in Germany. According to a study by the DAK health insurance fund, which analysed data from 2.4 million active health insurance policyholders for the years 2019 to 2023, days off rose suddenly by 40% between 2021 and 2022. The average number of days off work, per person per year, rose from around 15 days in previous years to almost 20 days, and has remained at this level ever since.
As a Berlin correspondent for the French and Swiss press since the late 1990s, I cover a wide range of economic, political and social issues, with a particular focus on the German business and labour market. My areas of interest include co-determination, digitalisation, demographics and ESG/DEI policies.