There is an unprecedented level of sick leave in the Alicante province. The post-pandemic recovery has boosted employment to record highs, yet it has also driven a sharp rise in temporary disability cases. The surge is so pronounced that it mirrors, and in some indicators even surpasses, the peak moments of the housing boom, driven by a widespread illness and other factors.
The total number of disability procedures started last year in Alicante surpassed all prior totals, reaching 165,288 cases according to official SSI data. This marks a 45% increase over the previous year, 32% more than the pre-pandemic 2019 level, and almost 5% higher than the busiest year on record, 2007. It’s important to note that population growth in recent years makes these comparisons imperfect, but the rising trend is clear. Average incidence also climbed, with 23.28 months of leave per 1,000 employees last year, up from 16.86 in 2021 and 18.42 in the year before the pandemic, a level approaching the housing bubble era.
Another indicator shows the prevalence of absence, with the number of workers taking real leave peaking at 38.7 per thousand. In practical terms, about 23,000 residents of Alicante were affected by illness-related work absences in the year.
This pattern mirrors the national picture and has raised concerns among business leaders about sustaining productivity during recovery. Trade unions have voiced worries about what the rise in sick leave implies for the sector and for worker health, prompting discussions to address the issue within the framework of Employment and Collective Bargaining Agreements, though solutions are proving complex.
Alicante hired 6,774 employees in May, breaking the second consecutive employment record
The consensus among experts points to a mix of factors behind the rise. A predominant thread is the increase in mental health problems and work-related stress. Maria Angeles Medina, president of the Valencian Cultural Association of Family and Community Medicine, notes a steady stream of patients struggling to cope with workload and pressure without immediate relief. This concern is echoed by other medical authorities who have highlighted mental health issues and musculoskeletal disorders as major contributors to leave.
The Joint Contingency Area Medical Director and other officials have long anticipated that addressing mental health and physical strain would help reduce sick days, while pointing to the need for better management of diagnostics and treatment options.
Saturation
Physicians emphasize that public health system saturation and lengthy waiting lists contribute to longer, more frequent absences, as patients wait for tests and diagnoses. Aging of the active workforce and longer working lives further compound the trend. As aging trends progress, more workers approach retirement age while staying in the labor pool, which can extend leave durations.
Experts also note that improvements in working conditions and changes to regulations have affected behavior. Some argue that temporary workers still avoid taking sick leave, while others point to regulatory updates in mid-last year that strengthened protections for workers in vulnerable positions.
There are voices who believe these shifts could reflect potential misuse as a means to avoid layoffs. Maria Antonia Oliva, head of the Alicante Social Graduate College, urges a careful look at absenteeism rates as a major productivity challenge and a threat to competitiveness. She calls for an immediate collaboration table with unions under the National Collective Bargaining Agreement to address the issue.
Fatal occupational accidents in the province tripled and reached the highest figure in 14 years.
Unions acknowledge the difficult position but argue for stronger action to identify root causes. They point to a mix of common illnesses and work-related conditions, including mental health concerns and cancer cases tied to work environments, as examples of why occupational health must be a central concern.
A broader strategy calls for public administrations to engage with partner groups to accelerate diagnostics and treatments, shorten waiting lists, and reduce the duration of sick leave processes. The aim is to alleviate burdens on the health system while improving workforce productivity and, ultimately, economic growth.