AOK insured's sick leave slightly decreased - Saarland sees slight drop in employee sickness absence rates in 2025

Sickness absence rates among AOK-insured employees in Saarland fell slightly in 2025. The overall rate dropped by 0.3 percentage points to 6.9%, marking a continued decline. However, mental health disorders and long-term illnesses remained persistent concerns.

Respiratory illnesses were the leading cause of sick leave, accounting for 27.1% of all absences. Musculoskeletal conditions followed closely at 13.9%, while mental health disorders and injuries made up 14.0% and 8.8% respectively.

The highest absence rate occurred in February, peaking at 8.7%. On average, each sick leave episode lasted 11.2 days—0.2 days shorter than the previous year. Long-term illnesses, defined as those lasting over six weeks, represented 40.6% of all lost workdays.

Nationally, employees took an average of 23.3 days off due to illness, down from 23.9 days in 2024. Mental health-related absences, however, remained high, with cases averaging 28.5 days per episode. Since 2016, long-term mental health absences have risen significantly, contributing to the overall trend.

The decline in Saarland's sickness absence rate suggests a gradual improvement in employee health. Yet, the persistence of mental health and long-term illnesses highlights ongoing challenges. The data reflects a broader national pattern where mental health remains a key factor in workplace absences.