Do Germans really take 19.5 days of sick leave per year?
Summary
Host Lizzie McNeil and expert Lucas Lerner investigate whether German workers really take 19.5 sick days annually. They confirm the figure is accurate but explain it counts calendar days, not just working days. Comparing OECD data, they reveal that sick leave statistics reflect labor laws and benefits rather than actual health, with generous systems like Norway’s showing higher averages than restrictive ones like the US or Greece.
Topics discussed
Intro: Investigating German sick leave statistics
Source and methodology of the 19.5 days figure
Harmonizing data with OECD labor force surveys
International comparison of sick leave days
How labor laws and pay systems drive the stats
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