Forgotten disease takes its toll. 30-fold increase in L4

According to the latest data from the Social Insurance Institution, 25.5 million e-sick leave certificates were entered into the ZUS medical certificate register in 2024, which was 300,000 more sick leave certificates than in 2023. These were sick leave certificates both for one's own illness and for the care of children or other family members.

The vast majority of these were e-certificates for own illness - 92% of the total, a total of 22.2 million medical certificates. The largest number of certificates was issued in January and October, when 2.4 million certificates were registered in ZUS systems in each of these months.

On average, due to their own illness, ZUS insured persons stayed for 33.60 days in the whole year, and the average length of a medical certificate for their own illness was 10.83 days. For years, there has been a clear predominance of certificates issued to women, their number is indirectly related to the absence of pregnant women. Usually, the percentage of medical certificates issued to women is over 55.5%. In 2022, it was - 55.5%, in 2023 - 55.7%, and in 2024 - 55.5% of all certificates.

The longest sick leave was taken by insured persons aged between 30 and 39, the percentage of days of absence was 26.4%. In the case of men's absences, 24.9% of days of absence concerned insured persons aged between 40 and 49, and 22.8% of men aged between 50 and 59. Among women, the longest sick leave was taken by women aged 30-39, the percentage of days used by insured persons was 30.3%.

According to ZUS data, compared to the previous year, doctors issued short-term sick leave more often in 2024. There were 9.5 million certificates for own illnesses, up to 5 days long. Of this total, 1.7 million were one-day sick leave certificates.

The most common causes of incapacity for work have remained unchanged for several years, regardless of the region of the country.

These include:

• diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (41.8 million days of sickness absence),
• respiratory diseases (33 million days),
• injuries, poisonings and other specific effects of external factors (32.5 million days),
• pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum period (31.8 million days),
• mental and behavioral disorders (30.3 million days),
• COVID-19 related disease entities (1.7 million days).

According to ZUS data, there has been a significant increase in whooping cough cases. Both the number of medical certificates issued for this reason and the number of sick leave days have increased more than 30-fold. Two years ago, there were 200 sick leave days, and a year later, this number was 5.6 thousand. Absences increased from 1.2 thousand days in 2023 to 43.1 thousand in 2024.

Due to the increased number of sick leaves, expenses for sick leave increased. In 2024, they amounted to over PLN 31 billion. 59% of them were covered by the Social Insurance Fund, while the remaining expenses were borne by employers and the Guaranteed Employee Benefits Fund.

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