Absences were up from August through October, compared to previous years: 1.7% in August, which is usually a month of low sickness rates. September also saw a high of 2.7%, but October almost went off the scale.

Short-duration sickness leave, defined as any absence due to illness lasting less than one month, is always the most difficult for employers because workers’ pay is guaranteed for 30 days, meaning employers are obliged to pay full salaries for zero performance. Sick leave is estimated to cost the employer €784.26 per worker per year, according to SD Worx.

The A/H1N1 virus is largely to blame. Not only are more people falling ill than would be the case with normal seasonal flu, but a precautionary principle is also at work in that employees are more likely to take time off work for fear of infecting their colleagues, whether or not they in fact turn out to have the flu. Such precautionary measures are generally approved by employers.

This finding contradicts the news given out a few weeks ago by the association of general practitioners, which reported that workers were now more likely to go into work when sick, because the financial crisis makes them fear they will lose their jobs. But this claim is not borne out by the figures, SD Worx said.

SD Worx surveyed 423,301 employees in 14,476 workplaces.