# Germany news: Over 60s take month of sick leave per year

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/germany-news-over-60s-take-month-of-sick-leave-per-year/
- Published: 2026-11-11T08:41:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-11T09:39:28+00:00
- Original publisher: DW (publisher lean: Centre)
- Original article: https://www.dw.com/en/germany-news-over-60s-take-month-of-sick-leave-per-year/live-79915066?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf
- Topics: Entertainment, Europe, TV, World

## Key points

- Workers aged 60 to 65 took 31.3 sick days on average in 2024.
- The all-worker average was 15 days.
- Long-term sick leave among older workers increased.

## Summary

German workers aged 60 to 65 took an average of 31.3 days of sick leave in 2024, more than twice the 15-day average for workers overall. The figures have renewed debate over whether older employees can work longer as the government pursues retirement reforms.

The data came from the Health Ministry in response to a question from the Left party. The number of people aged 60 to 65 taking at least a year off sick rose from about 80,300 in 2022 to 96,100 in 2024; the government’s plans include raising the standard retirement age to 67.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.