Overview
- Unexcused absences have doubled since 2013, rising from 3.8% to roughly 7% of agreed working hours, according to Randstad Research.
- Temporary incapacity sick leave stands at 5.5% nationally, up from 2.3% twelve years ago, with a pandemic-era peak of 5.7% in early 2022.
- Cantabria recorded the highest overall rate in Q2 2025 at 9.2%, followed by the Canary Islands at 8.8%, the Basque Country at 8.6%, Galicia at 8.4% and Asturias at 8.1%.
- By sector in Q2 2025, unexcused absenteeism reached 7.4% in industry, 7.0% in services and 5.5% in construction, while temporary incapacity was 5.7%, 5.5% and 4.6% respectively.
- Randstad links the sustained elevation to more mental-health-related leave, health-system saturation that lengthens absences, and a cultural shift, warning of productivity and cost pressures for employers.