Do Germans really take 19.5 days of sick leave per year?
How do different countries compare, in terms of the amount of time that workers take as sick leave?
Loyal listener Dave got in touch to ask us to look at a surprising statistic he saw in the news – that the average German takes 19.5 days of sick leave per year.
“This is extremely hard to believe,” he wrote.
We track down the – highly reliable – source of the claim, and look at the differences between countries when it comes to taking time of work with illness.
To guide us through it all is Lukas Lehner - assistant professor at the University of Edinburgh.
If you’ve seen a number in the news that you think we should take a look at, get in touch: [email protected]
Presenter: Lizzy McNeillProducer: Krista BeightonSeries producer: Tom CollsProduction co-ordinator: Brenda BrownSound mix: James BeardEditor: Richard Vadon
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Tim Harford explains - and sometimes debunks - the numbers and statistics used in political debate, the news and everyday life.
- No. of episodes: 1,137
- Latest episode: 2026-08-29
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