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A sanitation worker sprays cool water on pedestrians on a street near the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, on July 1 last year (local time). / EPA·Yonhap.

Last year, one in three French employees took at least one sick leave, and statistics show a steady rise in absenteeism due to sick leave and other absences.

According to local media Ouest‑France, French social security insurer Malakoff Humanis reported in its annual study released on June 9 that absenteeism in the private sector reached 4.3% in 2025, with total absences up 25.5% compared to 2019.

Absenteeism is measured as the proportion of total working days missed relative to the total period employees were expected to work.

The increase appears partly linked to COVID‑19, as workers have shifted toward prioritizing personal health over work.

Rates varied by sector: IT and finance/insurance recorded the highest absenteeism, with large companies showing higher rates than SMEs. Regionally, northern Hauts‑de‑France—home to many manufacturing workers—had the highest absenteeism, followed by Grand Est and Normandy, all manufacturing‑intensive regions.

Long‑term sick leave also rose. Absences of 60 days or more increased 4.9% in a year, accounting for 63.8% of all missed workdays. Mental health issues such as depression and burnout were the leading causes of sick leave lasting over 30 days, representing 37.8%.

Eric Boden, deputy director of Malakoff Humanis, noted, “Around 900,000 to 1 million private‑sector employees took at least one sick leave last year. Companies face financial burdens as productivity declines relative to wages paid.”

The report drew on data from about 3.8 million sick leave cases, medical tracking of 300,000 long‑term absentees, and surveys of workers, employers, and doctors.

                                                                                                              Lim Yoo‑jung