Inability to work: Cash registers: a little fewer disease failures in the job

Disease failures at work, according to large health insurance companies, decreased slightly for the first time last year. On average, 19.1 days were on sick leave, as the Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) announced according to their own insured data. A record of 19.4 days had been determined in the previous year. In the case of DAK health, according to its own insured data, an average of 20 to 19.7 absenteeism showed. Even with respiratory infections as the most important diagnosis, there were now fewer failures. The health insurance companies called for more health protection in companies.

“First positive signal”

DAK boss Andreas Storm said that it was “a first positive signal” that the sick leave in 2024 did not increase, but slightly sink. “The next few years will show whether it becomes a trend reversal.” According to the evaluation of the cash register, there was a slight increase in sick reports – but on average, the case duration was shorter than in 2023 with 10.1 missing days. Previously, the “Augsburger Allgemeine” reported on the DAK evaluation.

The number one cause for sick leave was also cold diseases such as flu-like infections, bronchitis or corona infections last year, as the TK explained. This was due to an average of 4.67 absenteeism for each of their insured persons, after it was 5.11 after all in 2023. With the DAK, such respiratory infections now had an average of 4.2 failure days to 3.8 days. At the cash register, 2.4 million employees are insured, at the TK six million employees.

Easy increase in mental illnesses

A little fewer sick leave in the job registered both cash registers in 2024 for symptoms such as back pain and herniated discs. However, there was a little more failures due to mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety disorders: In 2024, the TK found an average of 3.75 absenteeism per worker – after 3.59 missing days in 2023. At DAK, the average absenteeism of 3 extended 3 , 2 to 3.4 days.

TK boss Jens Baas said the recent debate about high sick leave in Germany is going in the wrong direction. “Instead of discussing ad hoc solutions for employees with short absenteeism, employers should rather put the long-term patients into focus.” Long sick leave as in mental diagnoses are less common, but it was significantly more important. With a trusting and appreciative corporate culture, employers could contribute a lot to the well -being of their employees. “In general, the more satisfied the employees, the lower the sick leave.”

Discussions about high sick leave

At the beginning of the year, the debate about absenteeism in the job was newly flamed. The head of the Insurance Group Allianz, Oliver Bäte, had proposed to introduce a “maternity leave” again – so that employees should not receive any continued payment for the first day of the disease. Criticism from the economy and parts of politics had also become loud of the possibility of sick leave for easier complaints by phone without an extra practical visit.

The DAK explained that from 2021 to 2022 there was a sudden increase in the registered downtime through a new electronic reporting process. This led to a statistical record patient. Since then, the fluctuations have been low. Instead of the yellow note that was common in the past, certificates of incapacity for work are now directly transmitted to health insurance companies directly from the practices. As a result, sick leave is now also recorded, which the health insurers have previously not reached.

DAK boss Storm called for a factual debate and warned to stir up distrust of displaced employees. “Distrust is a sign of negative appreciation and as such a health risk.” In view of a tense economic situation in many companies, prevention and occupational health management are recommended.