Worker absence in Catalonia reached 7.9% in the second quarter of 2026, a rise of 0.3 percentage points from the same period in 2025, Viaempresa has reported. The figure marks the eighth lowest rate across Spain, with temporary incapacity, the main driver of absences, accounting for 6.0% of cases, up 0.2 points.
By sector, industry recorded the highest absence rate at 8.3%, though it was the only sector to see a slight decline. Services followed at 7.9%, up four-tenths, while construction saw the sharpest increase, rising eight-tenths to 6.9%. Catalonia’s overall rate sits just below the national average of 7.76%, which itself rose 0.27 points from the same quarter last year and has already surpassed 2025’s annual average.
Lowest Accident Rates in Spain
Catalonia also recorded the second-lowest rate of workplace accidents, with 198 incidents per 100,000 affiliated workers between April and June 2026, up 1.7% year-on-year but still behind Madrid’s 158. Nationally, the rate stood at 213 per 100,000, with Navarre and the Balearic Islands reporting the highest levels.
At the regional level, the Canary Islands, Asturias, and the Basque Country had the highest absence rates, while the Balearic Islands, Madrid, and La Rioja reported the lowest. Employers across Spain continue to report rising absenteeism, with two in three saying it has increased, according to FOEG.
Sources: Viaempresa.
