Decline has multiple reasons: sick leave to take off during Corona-crisis

Decline has multiple reasons
Sick leave to take off during Corona-crisis

During the Corona-crisis have been reported, according to the AOK significantly less employee sick than in previous years.

Especially between may and August, the number of sick leave decreased significantly, as an evaluation of the Scientific Institute (Wido) of the health insurance company, which is present the German press Agency. Previously, the “Welt am Sonntag had reported” about it. Accordingly, the sick messages on a “below-average level even in the case of the techniker Krankenkasse (TK)”.

The chief of the AOK-Federal Association, Martin Litsch, presumed to be several reasons behind the decline. “For one thing, many Employed physician should avoid clinics for fear of contagion,” he said. “On the other hand, it is likely that the pandemic lowers the risk of infection, a total of more.” More people worked in the home office, as a result, the infection decreases the risk on the way to work and in the office. In addition, employees would remain in the case of minor illnesses such as a cold rather in the home office and on a Sick leave without.

Litsch pointed out that there have been since may, significantly less sick leave due to “Acute upper respiratory infections”. “Obviously, the recommendation was taken seriously, even in the cold light of the office symptoms to be avoided.” And already before the pandemic, the tendency was recognizable, “that Employees in the home office, generally speaking, have less sick days”. Litsch but warned that the opportunity for home working encourages a tendency to work in spite of illness. “Who is ill, you should pause in every case professionally. Half sick, there is not,” he said.

The Wido according to the sickness in may was 4.4 percent, down from 5.2 percent in the previous month, and 4.7 percent in may 2018. In June, 4.5 percent reported themselves sick (2019: 4,8, 2018: 5.0 per cent), in July, 4.8 percent (in 2019: 5,0, 2018: 4.9 per cent) and in August, 4.4 percent (in 2018 and 2019, each at 4.7 percent). According to the “doublet” also indicate the Numbers of the Federal Ministry of health on this Trend. A monthly sample that had been written in the first nine months of 4.22 per cent of the employees sick, which was the lowest Nine-month figure since 2017.

The number of sick-leave fell, according to Wido, for both men and women, in some cases significantly. For example, one written in may, 4.4 percent of male employees sick and 4.5 per cent of the female. In the same month last year, there were still 5.1 per cent of men and 5.3 percent of women.