DAK: Sick leave in the Southwest slightly declining

The sick leave rate in Baden-Württemberg experienced a slight decrease in the first half of 2026, according to an analysis by DAK-Gesundheit. The rate stood at 4.4 percent, a 0.2 percentage point reduction from the same period in 2025. This translates to an average of 44 out of every 1,000 employees being on sick leave daily between January and June.

The primary factor contributing to this decline was a significant reduction in respiratory illnesses, which saw a 22 percent decrease in sick days. This brought the average down from 195 days to 152 days per 100 employees. Despite this drop, common cold-related illnesses remain the most frequent reason for sick leave, followed closely by musculoskeletal disorders such as back pain.

In contrast to the overall trend, sick leave attributed to mental health conditions saw an 11 percent increase. The analysis also noted a slight rise in the average duration of illness, from 9.0 days in the prior year's period to 9.2 days in the first half of 2026.

The DAK-Gesundheit analysis is based on data from approximately 243,700 insured employees in Baden-Württemberg.

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According to the analysis, there were fewer respiratory illnesses.