Germans call in sick more than 20 days per year on average, much more than workers in other EU countries.
Without the increase in sick days, the German economy could have grown by around 0.5% in 2023, instead of retracting by 0.3%, a study by pharma industry association vfa estimated last year.
How is it possible that an article so crudely mixes illness with laziness? On the other hand, if Germany hadn’t taken such an arrogant attitude during the 2008 financial crisis, labeling all of Southern Europe as lazy and incompetent based on statistics like this, this news wouldn’t feel so satisfying.
I don’t believe that revenge will get us anywhere, but I can’t help but crack a slight smile while reading it.