Fewer Absences Among AOK Insured in Rhineland-Palatinate - Sick leave declines in Rhineland-Palatinate as employees take fewer days off

Sickness absence rates among AOK-insured employees in Rhineland-Palatinate fell slightly in 2025. The decline follows a broader trend of fewer sick days recorded across the region. On average, each member took 23.8 days off due to illness, down by 3.0 percent from the previous year.

The sickness absence rate for AOK members in Rhineland-Palatinate dropped to 6.5 percent in 2025. This marks a 0.2 percentage point decrease from 2024, when the rate stood at 6.7 percent. Nationally, the figure also edged down, from 6.5 to 6.4 percent.

Just under two-thirds of AOK-insured employees in the region called in sick at least once during the year. While musculoskeletal disorders continued to be a major cause of lost workdays, the overall number of sick leave days per case declined. The average duration of each sick leave episode shortened to 10.4 calendar days, a reduction of 1.9 percent compared to 2024. In the first half of 2025, the absence rate remained steady at 6.7 percent, matching the previous year's level. However, by the end of the year, the downward trend became clearer as fewer employees required extended sick leave.

The data shows a modest but consistent decline in sickness-related absences for 2025. Employees in Rhineland-Palatinate took fewer sick days overall, with shorter average durations per case. Musculoskeletal issues, though still prevalent, did not prevent the overall reduction in lost workdays.