Opposition leader Feijóo urges changes to sick leave pay, calling rising absenteeism a major problem. The proposal sparks sharp reactions from unions and government. Spain faces record costs for temporary incapacity.
Spain’s debate over sick leave and workplace absenteeism escalated after Alberto Núñez Feijóo, leader of the Partido Popular, proposed that employees on medical leave should not receive full pay. Speaking at a business forum in the Basque Country, Feijóo described the rising rate of temporary incapacity as a “cancer” for the Spanish economy and argued that collective agreements should stop supplementing salaries during sick leave periods.
Feijóo’s remarks align closely with demands from Spain’s main employers’ association, CEOE, whose president Antonio Garamendi recently warned that national labour agreements may stall unless rules on sick leave are tightened. Feijóo insisted that if workers receive the same pay while absent as when present, it undermines the system. He also criticised what he sees as insufficient oversight by public administrations, suggesting that the current approach encourages unjustified absences.
The opposition leader stated that, if elected, he would push for a reform of sick leave regulations, with or without consensus from unions and employers. He cited his previous experience managing absenteeism at Insalud and Correos, claiming that high rates often indicate fraud. Feijóo argued that Spain cannot afford to spend over €30 billion annually on this issue, referencing recent figures showing 1.2 million people on medical leave daily—a number highlighted in a Randstad study based on INE data.
Government officials and unions responded swiftly. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez criticised Feijóo’s language and stance, emphasising the need to protect workers when ill. Labour Minister Yolanda Díaz echoed this view, warning against policies that would leave vulnerable employees less protected. Major unions, including UGT and CC OO, condemned Feijóo’s comments as disrespectful to social dialogue and accused him of conflating legitimate sick leave with absenteeism. They also rejected the presumption of widespread fraud and defended the current system of negotiated sick pay supplements.
Under current Spanish law, unless a collective agreement provides otherwise, workers receive no pay for the first three days of a common illness. From day four to day twenty, they are entitled to 40% of their regulatory base, and from day twenty-one onward, 75%. For work-related injuries or illnesses, the reduction applies from the first day. The first 15 days of a common illness are paid by the employer, after which Social Security takes over. Employers and business groups have called for Social Security to assume these costs earlier and to cover replacement contracts, arguing that the current system is unsustainable.
Official data show that public spending on temporary incapacity reached €18.4 billion in 2025, making it the second-largest item in the Social Security budget after pensions. Companies contributed an additional €17 billion, according to CEOE. The prevalence of sick leave has more than doubled since 2012, with 53.7 cases per 1,000 employees in 2025, up from 19.1 in 2012. The trend has accelerated since the pandemic, with unions and analysts pointing to factors such as delayed primary care, more protective regulations, and improved collective agreements as key drivers.
The Independent Authority for Fiscal Responsibility (Airef) identified several reasons for the increase: lack of process oversight, more generous legal frameworks, economic cycles, rising demand for primary care, and longer waiting lists. Unions argue that strengthening the public health system is essential to address the root causes, a view that even some business leaders now share. The government continues to seek a compromise between unions and employers, but consensus remains elusive.
Spain’s ongoing debate over sick leave rules comes as other regions pursue major policy shifts, such as Catalonia’s recent investment in digital infrastructure to secure citizen data, as reported in the coverage of Catalonia’s public cloud initiative. Both issues highlight the growing tension between cost control and social protection in the country’s evolving policy landscape.
For context, Spain’s approach to sick leave is among the more protective in Europe, but the rapid rise in cases and costs has put pressure on policymakers. Any significant change to the system would affect millions of workers, employers, and the public finances, making this a central issue for the coming political cycle.
