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

Skip next section What you need to know

What you need to know

• Data has revealed that workers aged 60-65 take an average of 31.3 sick days off a year
• Carneval season is beginning
• Inflation has dipped below 3% thanks to the fuel rebate

Keep reading for the top news and analysis from Germany on Wednesday, November 11:

Skip next section October inflation falls below 3% amid fuel rebate

November 11, 2026

October inflation falls below 3% amid fuel rebate

Year-on-year inflation for October dropped down slightly to 2.8% after reaching 3.3% in September, according to preliminary figures from the Federal Office of Statistics (Destatis).

Record high prices for gas and diesel pushed up inflation in September but this was brought down thanks to government subsidy for consumers at the gas pump that was introduced in October.

"The main factor behind the persistently high inflation rate remained the trend in energy prices, even though the fuel subsidy, which was reintroduced in early October, may have tempered inflation somewhat," Destatis President Ruth Brand said. 

Can crisis reinvent the car again?

Edited by:Kieran Burke

https://p.dw.com/p/5PJe1

Skip next section Workers over 60 taking a month off per year for sick leave

November 11, 2026

Workers over 60 taking a month off per year for sick leave

German workers aged between 60 and 65 took an average of 31.3 days of sick leave per year, based on data from 2024 released by the Health Ministry in response to a question posed by the Left party in the Bundestag.

The average number of sick days taken by all workers was 15, according to the Federal Office of Statistics (Destatis).

The number of 60 to 65-year-olds who have taken a year or more off for sick leave has also increased in recent years. It went from around 80,300 people in 2022 to 96,100 in 2024.

Left party spokesperson Sarah Vollath called the figures a "clear warning sign" in comments to the Rheinische Post and warned that workers cannot "keep working forever."

"If the federal government has its way, the retirement age for workers will soon be pushed even further into the future due to another increase in the standard retirement age. This completely ignores the reality of life for older workers."

The government of Chancellor Friedrich Merz has set retirement reform as one of its main goals, with policies including pushing the retirement age back to 67 years.

What are the German government's pension, labor reforms?

Edited by:Kieran Burke

https://p.dw.com/p/5PJaz

Skip next section Welcome to our coverage

November 11, 2026

Welcome to our coverage

Good morning and Alaaf!

November 11, as well as being Armistice Day, is also the first day of the carneval season with events taking place throughout the Rhineland region, including in Cologne, Düsseldorf and Mainz.

We are also expecting the German Council of Economic Experts to publish their annual report providing forecasts and proposals to the German government.