Sick leave in healthcare at highest level since 2003

In the second quarter of this year, absenteeism due to illness in care and welfare was 6.5 percent - the highest level of sick leave since the second quarter of 2003 and significantly higher than in other industries, Statistics Netherlands reported on Tuesday.

The average sick leave in all industries in the Netherlands was 4.7 percent in the second quarter. This means that out of every 1,000 working days, there were 47 days of absenteeism due to illness.

Of all sectors in the care and welfare industry, nursing, care and home care had the highest absenteeism rate at 7.9 percent. Other care and welfare had the lowest sick leave rate at 4.5 percent.

"The extent to which the coronavirus pandemic contributed to absenteeism due to illness cannot be deduced from the figures available to Statistics Netherlands," the stats office said.