# German Workers Over 60 Average Over One Month Sick Leave Rising absenteeism among older employees sparks intense debate over national retirement age reforms. - **Source:** [DW – Top Stories](https://www.dw.com/en) - **Published:** 2026-11-11 - **Topic:** [health](https://brifing.si/c/health) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/d81918b0-9496-4511-b4bc-c50d4cca4daf ## High Absenteeism Rates Data from 2024 reveals that German employees aged 60 to 65 take an average of 31.3 sick days annually. This figure is significantly higher than the national average of 15 days for all workers. These statistics were released by the Health Ministry following a formal inquiry by the Left party. ## Long-term Sick Leave Trends The number of individuals in the 60 to 65 age bracket taking a year or more of continuous sick leave has risen sharply. Official records show an increase from approximately 80,300 people in 2022 to 96,100 in 2024. This trend highlights growing health challenges faced by the aging German labor force. ## Political Policy Conflict The Left party has characterized these figures as a clear warning sign regarding current labor conditions. Spokesperson Sarah Vollath argued that workers cannot be expected to remain in the workforce indefinitely. This critique directly challenges the government's ongoing efforts to push the standard retirement age further into the future. ## Government Retirement Strategy Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s administration has identified pension and labor reform as a primary policy objective. A central pillar of this strategy involves raising the standard retirement age to 67 years. Critics argue that these legislative goals fail to account for the physical and mental realities of older workers today. ## Broader Economic Context The debate over sick leave occurs alongside other significant economic indicators in Germany. Preliminary figures from the Federal Office of Statistics show October inflation dropped to 2.8%, down from 3.3% in September. This slight cooling was attributed to government fuel subsidies, which provided temporary relief for consumer energy costs. ## Military Security Shifts In a separate development, the German Defense Ministry announced a ban on Chinese-made drones within the Bundeswehr. The ministry cited security-relevant information as the primary reason for this decision. Existing systems will be replaced by domestic or European-sourced alternatives, while inexpensive off-the-shelf models may be purchased for basic training purposes. ## Environmental Performance Declines Germany’s standing in the annual Climate Change Performance Index has fallen to its lowest level since 2019. The country now ranks 25th, trailing behind nations like Brazil, Colombia, and Romania. This marks the third consecutive year of decline, resulting in a medium rating for efforts to curb global warming. ## Future Policy Implications The intersection of rising absenteeism and aggressive retirement reforms suggests a difficult legislative path ahead. Policymakers must now reconcile the need for a sustainable pension system with the documented health limitations of the aging workforce. Future reports from the German Council of Economic Experts will likely influence these ongoing debates. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.dw.com/en/germany-news-over-60s-take-month-of-sick-leave-per-year/live-79915066?maca=en-rss-en-top-1022-rdf — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._