The part-time sick leave among Flemish employment agency (VDAB) employees has increased, which it sees as a positive development.
“We actively encourage a partial return to work as a step in the recovery process,” the VDAB explained in response to figures published by Het Nieuwsblad, indicating that VDAB employees are on sick leave for an average of one in eight days.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, sick leave at VDAB was at a record high, but subsequent measures reduced the numbers. However, the number of sick days is now peaking again. Last year, there were over 117,000 sick days at one of Flanders’ largest government services, which employs around 4,700 people.
Sick leave now stands at 10.35%, significantly higher than the average sick leave among other Flemish services, which is about 3% lower, according to data requested by Flemish MP Robrecht Bothuyne (CD&V) from Flemish Minister of Employment Zuhal Demir (N-VA).
In practical terms, this means that VDAB effectively has 600 fewer employees. Of the 3,687 sick employees last year, most are consultants responsible for assisting and helping the unemployed find jobs. A majority of these cases involve long-term illness.
A VDAB spokesperson pointed out that the numbers for single-day and short-duration sick leave have remained stable compared to 2023 and have even slightly decreased compared to 2022. There is a slight increase in long-term illness, but part-time illness has seen a significant rise compared to 2023.
“This is not concerning,” the agency stated. “At VDAB, we strongly focus on reintegration guidance. This explains why part-time sick leave is higher than among the Flemish government: we actively encourage a partial return to work as a step in the recovery process. In this sense, part-time sick leave is a positive sign of progress rather than a cause for concern,” said spokesperson Mieke Desanghere.
She also noted that part-time sick leave in the private sector is not included in the statistics. When this is taken into account, sick leave at VDAB hardly differs from that in the private sector, she added.
