Mental Health Disorders Overtake Back Pain as Top Driver of Germany's Record Sick Leave
21.06.2026 - 03:15:26 | boerse-global.de
German workers' sick leave remains at an all-time high, but the reasons are shifting. Psychological conditions have now pushed classic physical ailments like muscle and skeletal disorders out of the leading position in the statistics.
Data from two major health insurers, Barmer and DAK-Gesundheit, for 2025 paint a stark picture. In the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, the average number of sick days per employed person reached 22.5. The highest figure was recorded in the rural district of Kusel with 28.6 days, while the city of Mainz fared best at just 17.5 days.
Mental illness was the primary driver, accounting for an average of 4.7 days per worker. The town of Zweibrücken topped the national chart with 8.0 days of absence attributed to psychological diagnoses.
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Across Germany, the DAK-Gesundheit registered a stable but elevated sick rate of 19.5 days per employee. The most striking shift: mental-health-related diagnoses rose 6.9% to 366 sick days per 100 insured members. This jump knocked musculoskeletal diseases down to third place.
The DAK is now calling for a high-level sick-leave summit to be hosted by the Federal Chancellery. It also floated the idea of a partial sick note—an arrangement allowing employees to work a reduced schedule while officially convalescing.
Remote work has emerged as a risk factor for mental health. A study by Harvard University published in the journal Science found that up to one-third of the increase in psychological illness since the pandemic can be linked to home office arrangements. Researchers Natalia Emanuel, Emma Harrington and Amanda Pallais showed that fully remote workers living alone are especially vulnerable: they report higher levels of psychological strain and use antidepressants more frequently. The physical separation from colleagues and resulting social isolation appear to fuel depressive symptoms.
Tanja Rabl, a professor at the Rhineland-Palatinate Technical University (RPTU), points beyond the work format. She names poor leadership, bullying and work overload as major contributors.
These trends are global. A study in The Lancet estimates that roughly 1.2 billion people worldwide live with mental health conditions—a doubling since 1990. In Germany, mental illness has become the most common reason for early retirement. The State Student Council of Hesse accordingly demands that performance pressure be reduced earlier in life and that psychological support be expanded.
Companies and associations are ramping up prevention. The DGB Bildungswerk Bayern, a trade-union-affiliated training organization, is tailoring its 2026 program around occupational health and safety—especially in view of the coming major election year for works councils and staff councils in Germany.
Concrete measures are already scheduled:
- The Magdeburg Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK Magdeburg) is offering an online seminar on mental health in everyday training on June 26, 2026.
- A resilience seminar for supervisors and skilled employees will take place on July 9–10, 2026.
- Dr. Ivon Ames will give a talk on risk assessments and health-promoting workplace design on August 22, 2026.
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The company-based reintegration program known as Betriebliches Eingliederungsmanagement (BEM) is also gaining traction. Its goal is to sustainably reintegrate employees who have fallen ill. Due to heavy demand, many BEM qualification courses are already fully booked.
