Sick leave in the Netherlands rises above 30-year average

Workers in the Netherlands called in sick more often in the first three months of 2026 than the long-term average, according to national statistics office CBS.

Sickness absence stood at 5.8% in the first quarter, the same rate as a year earlier but above the 5% average recorded since 1996. CBS said that figure means 58 of every 1,000 working days were lost to illness.

Flu, colds and other viral infections were the most common reason workers gave for their most recent absence, cited by around 55%. Mental-health complaints, overstrain and burnout were named by just under 9%.

Healthcare hit hardest

Absence was highest in the health and welfare sector, at 8.2%, slightly up on a year earlier. Within it, nursing, care and home care recorded the highest rate, at 9.9%. Agriculture, forestry and fishing had the lowest absence, at 3.6%.

Sick leave rose at the smallest firms – those with fewer than 10 staff – to 2.8% from 2.6%, though they still posted the lowest rate of any size band. It held steady at medium-sized and large companies.

Across the whole of 2025, sickness absence averaged 5.4%, up on the previous year and the first annual rise after years of decline. Of workers who took sick leave that year, 23% said their job was wholly or partly the cause, most often pointing to workload.