Business · Economy · 4 hrs ago
Spanish business groups warn rising sick leave threatens small firms
Spanish business groups say rising absences threaten small firms because they can struggle to cover workers who are off sick.
Each day, 1.6 million employees are absent from work, including 1.2 million on temporary disability leave.
Costs exceeded €34 billion last year for social security benefits, employer payments and salary supplements, and the bill rose 8.6% so far in 2026.
Long-running cases have also increased: 155,203 workers were off for more than a year last year, compared with 35,000 in 2019.
Small businesses have less room to replace absent staff and may also face the cost of hiring someone to keep operating.
Business groups want the next government to restore dismissal for repeated absences, limit sick-leave salary supplements in collective agreements and let mutual insurers propose that a worker return to work.
They are pressing for these changes ahead of the next legislative term.
Spanish business groups say rising sick leave is putting small firms’ survival at risk.
They are urging the future government to change rules on dismissals, sick-pay supplements and the role of mutual insurance bodies.
An average of 1.6 million employees are absent from work each day, including 1.2 million on temporary incapacity leave.
Payments linked to absences exceeded €34 billion last year, and the bill has risen by 8.6% so far in 2026.
Cases of sick leave lasting more than a year rose from 35,000 in 2019 to 155,203 last year.
- Who
- Spanish business groups, including Madrid employers’ group Ceim and the CEOE.
- What
- They warn that rising sick leave and its costs threaten small firms, and call for measures to curb the impact.
- When
- The report was published on 27 October 2026; Ceim made its demands the previous day.
- Where
- Spain.
- Why
- Small businesses may be unable to replace workers on leave and have less financial capacity to absorb costs.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Spain had 35,000 workers on sick-leave processes lasting more than a year.
The average duration of sick leave was 43 days, according to AMAT.
Payments linked to absences exceeded €34 billion, and the number of cases lasting more than a year reached 155,203.
Ceim presented its demands at a session on workplace absenteeism.
The bill linked to absenteeism had risen by 8.6%.
- Daily absences
- 1.6 million employees, including 1.2 million on temporary incapacity leave
- Payments last year
- More than €34 billion
- Increase in the bill in 2026
- 8.6%
- Sick-leave cases over one year
- 155,203 last year, up from 35,000 in 2019
- SMEs’ share of Spain’s productive sector
- 99%
What people are saying
Although absenteeism rates are higher in large companies, its impact is more lethal in small ones. Many SMEs cannot replace workers on leave, and this puts their survival at risk.