Since one-day sick notes were abolished in Belgium's larger companies in 2022, the number of employees taking days off due to illness has increased much more significantly than in companies where the rule does not apply.
At the end of 2022, Belgium decided to abolish the need to submit a sick note when people in companies with more than 50 employees are absent from work for just one day due to illness. This effectively made it possible for employees to take a sick day without having to see a doctor. When the measure was introduced, employers were furious, arguing that it would allow people to feign sickness to prolong the weekend.
In the first quarter of 2023, short-term sick leave in Belgian companies fell by 5%. However, the latest data from Securex based on almost 200,000 employees showed otherwise: one-day absences in companies with more than 50 employees in Belgium rose by almost half (+44.2%) throughout last year following the abolition of the one-day sick note.
"This increase is three times greater than in companies with fewer than 50 employees, where the rule does not apply," Heidi Verlinden, research project manager at Securex, explained.
'Significant effect on the workplace'
According to Securex, this analysis shows that the new regulations have had a "significant effect on the workplace". In particular, it noted that the percentage of employees with three or more sick days in one year increased. The new measure is limited to a maximum of three days of absence per year, and only for the first day of a period of absence.
Across all employees, people took time off due to illness on average 1.30 times, compared with 1.31 times in 2022. However, there is a significant difference between large and small companies. In 2023, the number of sick days per worker rose by 1.87% in companies with more than 50 employees, while it fell significantly by 4.59% in companies with fewer than 50 employees.
The percentage of workers calling in sick three or more times in a year in larger companies rose from 20.91% of workers in 2022 to 22.11% in 2023. Meanwhile, in companies with fewer than 50 employees, it dropped from 11.61% in 2022 to 11.16% in 2023.
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The costs linked to absenteeism also increased but to a limited extent. "The higher costs are mainly explained by the increase in indirect costs incurred by employers at the beginning of every absence, such as the time needed for administration or reorganisation of workflows."
On a more positive note, short-term illnesses (one week to one month) dropped by 5.2%. However, Verlinden noted that several short absences weigh more heavily on a company than one prolonged one.
The organisation therefore called on employers to be proactive in picking up signals. "If you notice that a worker is tired or making mistakes, start a conversation and try to find a solution together to prevent sickness-related absence as far as possible."
