The federal government wants to tighten sick leave rules. However, employees in Hesse have recently been on sick leave somewhat less often, as an analysis of health insurance companies shows.
Last year, people in Hesse missed work due to illness on average 23 days. A year ago it was 23.4 days, BPC reports. However, there are clear regional differences.
Regional differences are large
Frankfurt am Main had the lowest number of days of absence due to illness in 2025: 17.9 days per employee. Hersfeld-Rothenburg recorded the highest value at 28.4 days. This once again shows the split between north and south in Hesse. Other northern areas such as Werra-Meissner, Schwalm-Eder, Waldeck-Frankenberg, Vogelsberg and Lahn-Dille also have high values.
Hesse is significantly ahead of the national average
Compared to the federal states, Hesse continues to be one of the states with a comparatively low incidence rate. Hesse is in fourth place after Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and Hamburg.
Long downtime as a cost factor
According to BKK, the main sources of costs are not short-term colds, but long-term and serious illnesses. “It is the long-term, often musculoskeletal and psychological problems that become the real cost drivers,” said Ann-Katrin Klemm, member of the board of directors of the parent organization BKK.
Increase in sick pay
According to the BKK, the sickness benefit, which is only paid from the 43rd day of illness and therefore primarily affects people with chronic diseases, is one of the largest expenditure items in compulsory health insurance in the country, amounting to 21.6 billion euros. In 2025, more than a quarter of all days absent were due to sick leave. Over the past ten years, the number of paid sick days has increased by 24.4 percent.