As Germany weighs retirement at 67, older workers take an average 30 days off for sickness every year

Sick leave rises with age

Health Ministry data for 2024 shows that German workers aged 60 to 65 took an average of 31.3 days of sick leave each year. The figures were released in response to a question from the Left party in the Bundestag.

Across all workers, the average was 15 sick days, according to the Federal Office of Statistics. The number of 60-to-65-year-olds who were off work for at least a year rose from around 80,300 in 2022 to 96,100 in 2024.

Left warns about retirement plans

Left party spokesperson Sarah Vollath described the figures as a “clear warning sign” in comments to the Rheinische Post. She said workers cannot “keep working forever.” Vollath criticized plans to raise the standard retirement age, saying they overlook older workers’ circumstances. Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government has made retirement reform a priority, including plans to push the retirement age back to 67 years.

Inflation eases slightly

Preliminary figures from the Federal Office of Statistics put year-on-year inflation at 2.8% in October, down from 3.3% in September. Record prices for gas and diesel had pushed inflation higher the previous month.

Destatis President Ruth Brand said energy prices remained the main factor behind persistent inflation. She added that a fuel subsidy introduced in early October may have moderated it.

Carnival season begins

November 11 marks the start of the carnival season, with events across the Rhineland, including in Cologne, Düsseldorf and Mainz. The day is also Armistice Day. The German Council of Economic Experts was expected to publish its annual report, with forecasts and proposals for the government.