18.09.2025

Data shows 60% of people worldwide use sick days when they’re not physically ill

Have you ever called in sick when you weren’t actually physically unwell? A new survey reveals that over half of the people around the world have. AI powered career app Kickresume has conducted new research, surveying nearly 2,000 people worldwide to find out how they use sick days.

60% of respondents use sick days for reasons other than physical illness, including the 28% who call in sick for mental health reasons.
Americans are 20% more likely to use a sick day for mental health than Europeans.
Only 11% of employees switch off fully while off sick, with the majority still completing some work tasks.

First, Kickresume asked people to share if they have ever taken a sick day when they weren’t physically unwell. While 40% said they only take sick days under these circumstances, 28% overall said they also call in sick for their mental health. 22% take sick days when they feel in need of a break, and 10% use them as a chance to catch up on errands outside of work.

There were some major differences between European and American survey respondents. While 53% of European workers said they only take sick days when they are physically ill, 30% of Americans gave this answer. 25% of employees in Europe call in sick for their mental health, but a significantly higher percentage of Americans have taken a sick day for this reason, at 42%.

There are a number of reasons why American labour laws may be connected to these results. American workers are often entitled to less paid time off, and unlike employees in Europe, they are not protected by any laws that set a maximum number of working hours per week, like the EU Working Time Directive. A previous Kickresume survey also found that Americans are more likely than Europeans to report feeling stressed at work.

Kickresume also asked respondents to share whether they ever work while they are off sick. Only about 1 in 10 completely disconnect, at 11%. 48% shared that they have occasionally worked on a sick day, and 29% will do so if it’s urgent. 15% of respondents said they work every time they are off sick.

To find out who is the most likely to work while they are off sick, the survey compared the answers from different generations. Gen Z are the most likely to say they only work while sick if it’s urgent (34%) compared to Millennials (30%) and Gen X (21%). While 11% of Gen Z said they work every time they are off sick, 16% of Millennials said they do this, and so do 17% of Gen X. On the other hand, Gen X (14%) are about as likely to switch off entirely as Gen Z (13%).

This survey shows that while many workers who call in sick are not actually physically unwell, that’s not to say that they are necessarily just taking a sneaky break. In many cases, they are taking a sick day for their mental health, or because they are burned out. Furthermore, even when they are technically off sick, employees around the world are often still performing at least some of their work tasks.

Peter Duris, CEO and Co-Founder of Kickresume, comments: “It’s encouraging to see that people around the world are looking after their mental health by taking a sick day when they’re not feeling well mentally. The fact that a further 22% of people are taking sick days because they just need a break, with 10% catching up on errands, suggests that employers might need to take a look at their time off policies. It should be much easier, and less stressful, to take a day off work through annual leave than having to lie to your boss and call in sick!”

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