After shivering through a cold winter, the stats are in for one of the worst seasons for workplace sick leave in Australia.
With spring finally upon us, many people are still feeling the effects of high flu rates and cold snaps which have caused millions of workers to call in sick.
A study conducted by Deputy Data looked at almost 40,000 workplaces across the country and calculated the percentage of rosters that were scheduled, but not worked.
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Australia’s biggest chuckers of sickies were in eastern states, according to the data.
In June 2025, the ACT led the nation with a 390 per cent month-on-month jump in absenteeism.
NSW followed at 305 per cent, and VIC at 271 per cent.
By July 2025, the ACT again topped the list with a 221 per cent month-on-month rise in absenteeism, ahead of NSW at 151 percent and VIC at 132 per cent.
Tasmania consistently recorded the smallest month-on-month increases.
“This winter has shown just how quickly businesses feel the strain when absenteeism spikes. Getting sick is part of life, especially in colder months, but the ripple effects are immediate when shifts go unfilled,” Deputy Data CFO Emma Seymour said.
“Retailers are left short-staffed on busy days, construction crews take on extra loads, and service teams stretch themselves thin just to keep up. Sales suffer, service slips, and morale takes a hit.”
Industries with most sick days
The results found some industries saw absenteeism skyrocket.
Hospitality recorded a whopping 360 per cent increase in absenteeism in June 2025, compared to just 3 per cent in June 2024. July showed a similar trend, with a 214 per cent rise this year versus 3 per cent last year.
Healthcare absenteeism rose by 54 per cent in June and 64 per cent in July 2025, after a 2 per cent decline in both months in 2024.
Retail absenteeism increased by 141 per cent in June and 136 per cent in July 2025, compared to 9 per cent and 11 per cent increases the year before.
Services absenteeism rose by 81 per cent in June and 84 per cent in July 2025.
Within the industries worst hit, a trend of specific sub-industries stood out in the data.
Clothing stores experienced the biggest month-on-month rise in absenteeism, up 607 per cent in June and 209 per cent in July, with 18-23 per cent of rostered shifts going unworked.
Construction absenteeism rose by 236 per cent in June and 114 per cent in July, with 22-27 per cent of rostered shifts unworked.
Cafes recorded month-on-month absenteeism increases of 309 per cent in June and 141 per cent in July, with nearly a third of rostered shifts unworked.
What’s causing the extra sick days and what can be done?
Although winter has hit parts of the country with consecutive cold snaps, the Bureau of Meteorology data shows that national mean temperatures in June and July 2025 were just marginally higher than in 2024.
However, the Department of Health said influenza and respiratory illness rates in 2025 have been higher than the five-year average.
“For employers, the lesson is clear: resilience isn’t built in the moment of crisis – it’s built in advance,” Seymour said.
“That means cross-training teams, smarter rostering, using scheduling tools that create flexibility, and backing a culture where people can stay home when unwell without guilt.
“It also means investing in preventative steps, like vaccination support or even something as simple as providing masks. Because at the end of the day, the strength of our economy rests on the health and security of the people who keep it running.”
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