Worker sick leave higher than average first three months of the year

Sickness absence among employees in the Netherlands stood at 5.8 percent in the first quarter of this year, unchanged from a year earlier but above the long-term average of 5 percent, according to figures from the CBS. Over the full year 2025, the rate reached 5.4 percent, marking the first increase after years of decline.

The quarterly rate means that out of every 1,000 working days, 58 were lost due to illness. CBS noted that sickness absence follows a seasonal pattern, typically higher in winter months, and therefore compares figures with the same period a year earlier.

Healthcare and social care recorded the highest absence rate of any sector at 8.2 percent in the first quarter. This remained well above all other industries.

In other services—including hairdressers and laundries—sickness absence also rose, increasing from 4.7 percent in the first quarter of 2025 to 5.2 percent a year later. Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries had the lowest absence rates across all sectors.

Across 2025, flu, colds, and other viral infections were the most frequently cited reasons for sick leave. Mental health issues, including stress, overstrain, or burnout, were mentioned by 9 percent of employees who reported absence.

Nearly one-quarter of workers who took sick leave last year said their absence was fully or partly caused by work. Work pressure was the most commonly cited work-related factor.