Overview
- The AOK/WIdO Fehlzeiten‑Report published in early October 2026 finds psychische Erkrankungen accounted for 403 sick days per 100 AOK‑insured employees in 2025, a rise of about 42% since 2016.
- People with mental‑health diagnoses were off work far longer than for other illnesses, averaging about 28.5 days per case compared with roughly 5–7 days for respiratory infections, and Burn‑out‑related absence days rose roughly 77% over the decade.
- The burden is concentrated in emotionally demanding jobs: call‑center and dialog‑marketing staff, nursing and eldercare workers, house and family carers, and child‑care professionals show the highest rates of psychically caused absences.
- Part of the increase reflects better capture of sick leave after the electronic sick‑note system (eAU) was introduced, while overall yearly sick days have edged down from a 2022 peak but remain above pre‑eAU levels.
- The trend raises costs and political tensions: preliminary 2025 data put statutory sick‑pay at about €21.6 billion (≈6.1% of GKV spending) and has prompted government proposals for earlier doctor’s certificates and an end to telephone sick notes that the AOK says would overburden practices.