The number of people in Germany taking time off work due to mental health problems has risen sharply in the first six months of 2024, according to new figures from DAK, a statutory health insurance provider. 

Number of mental health sick days reaches record high in Germany

DAK described it as “worrying” that the number of sick days taken due to mental health issues such as depression or anxiety rose to a record high in the first half of 2024. In the six months from January to June 2024, employees working in Germany took 14,3 percent more days off due to mental health complaints compared to the same period last year. 

Overall, in the first half of 2024, 182 days were taken off per 100 employees for things like depression, anxiety and other mental health problems. In the first half of 2023, 159 days were taken off per 100 employees. DAK added that mental health issues are now the underlying cause of 21 percent of requests for sick leave for women and 14,5 percent of requests for men.

Employees in Germany took 10 sick days in first six months of 2024

According to DAK’s figures, the overall sickness rate rose to a record level of 5,7 percent in the first six months of the year. This means that on average 57 out of 1.000 employees were on sick leave each day from January to June. The figure is up from 5,5 percent in the first half of 2023, which was already the highest level recorded in over 10 years. 

DAK said that each person covered by the health insurance company took an average of 10 days of sick leave in the six-month period, and half of them were on sick leave at least once between January and June. 

“The further increase in days off work due to mental illness is worrying,” DAK CEO Andreas Storm was quoted as saying in the press release. “Employees in Germany are still under pressure in these times of war and crisis, which is also reflected in the number of sick days. Employers should focus on stress and possible strains and pay more attention to issues relating to the mental health of their workforce and possible offers of help.”