Last year, Austrians were on sick leave for an average of twelve days. The number has hardly changed compared to 2020. This is evident from the absenteeism statistics that Wifo has drawn up on behalf of the social security. In concrete terms, employees were on sick leave for an average of 12.3 calendar days during the year, in 2020 this was 12.7. There were more cases, but they lasted less. Corona recovery took more time.
The share of policyholders who were sick at least once in 2021 rose from 56.8 to 57.4 percent, while the number of sick days per case fell from 11.7 to 10.3 days. These figures do not include the officially prescribed Covid-19 quarantine periods.
Covid illnesses lasted longer
Wifo analyzes showed that sick leave due to Covid-19 was above average in terms of duration of sick leave and that men were affected for longer on average than women. At 13.4 days, the average length of proven Covid-19 sick leave was three days longer than sick leave for all diagnoses. The average sick leave due to Covid was 14.8 days for men and 11.7 days for women.
Employees in the lower income quarter are on average 2.5 days more absent if they contract corona than employees in the higher income quarter. Duration of disability with Covid was highest in the energy, transport and public administration sectors, while absenteeism was significantly shorter in trade and health and social services.
Mental illness increased
The number of mental illnesses has continued to rise in the past year. Mental illness accounted for 3.2 percent of all sick days in 2021, but 11.4 percent of all sick days. Corresponding illnesses are the most common cause of entrants into disability or disability pensions.
Musculoskeletal disorders, which account for 22 percent of disease incidence, are also a major topic. On the other hand, the number of industrial accidents remains at a very low level. In total, of the approximately 720,000 accidents in Austria in 2021, only about 100,000 were occupational accidents.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
