Poles are taking L4 en masse due to alcohol. Who is most affected by this problem?

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The number of sick leave certificates with code C – indicating incapacity for work due to alcohol abuse – is rising. Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) data for the first half of 2025 is alarming: over 50,000 days of absence and nearly 5,000 certificates issued. It's clear which social groups this systemic problem affects and why it increasingly impacts the health of businesses and the public health system.

The Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) has published the latest data on sick leave certificates issued due to alcohol abuse, or so-called code C sick leave certificates. In the first half of 2025, doctors issued a total of 4,971 such certificates, a 12.3% increase compared to the same period last year. This translates to 50,400 days of absence from work – 10.3% more than the previous year.

The vast majority of sick leave lasts up to five days, which, according to experts, may indicate the incidental but repetitive nature of alcohol consumption by employees. Aleksandra Penza from the Faculty of Psychology at SWPS University comments:

These types of absences often serve as a kind of "regenerative break" after an episode of excessive consumption, and thus may mask more complex difficulties.

Sick leave certificates with code C are most often issued to people aged 40–44 (17.7% of all cases), followed closely by those aged 35–39 and 45–49. Together, these three age groups account for almost half of all cases.

Psychologist Michał Murgrabia from the ePsychologiczny.pl platform notes that the demographic data are not surprising:

This is an age when many people combine heavy workloads with the pressures of family and personal life. Alcohol abuse may be a form of escape for them.

In the first half of 2025 , 3,800 certificates with code C were issued to men, and 1,100 to women. Although men still dominate, the problem is also growing among women. Michał Murgrabia explains:

Women are more likely to hide their alcohol problems for longer and seek help at a more advanced stage. Although their rates are lower, this trend should be taken very seriously.

The increasing number of absenteeism due to alcohol is a serious problem, not only for health reasons but also for economic and organizational reasons. As Michał Murgrabia emphasizes:

Every day of absence carries a cost—not just financial, but also emotional and organizational. Ultimately, we all pay the price as a society.

Experts also point out that absenteeism can serve a protective function for a company , reducing the risk of accidents, poor service quality, or errors at work. Michał Pajdak from the ePsychologiczny.pl platform adds:

The increase in sick leave due to alcohol abuse should be taken seriously. The key question is: is this trend being followed by real corrective action?

According to ZUS data, 34.9% of sick leave with code C concerned absences of 1–5 days, and another 54.6% involved absences of 6–20 days. Experts note that the predominance of short-term sick leave may complicate the diagnosis of addiction and delay the provision of appropriate support.

Alexandra Penza emphasizes:

This pattern of short but frequent absences may indicate individuals operating on the edge of control over their mental health and professional performance.

A look at the data by voivodeship reveals that the most sick leave certificates with code C were issued in the Masovian Voivodeship (661), Silesian Voivodeship (542), and Greater Poland Voivodeship (519). Meanwhile, OECD data shows that Poles are still among the European leaders in alcohol consumption, with an average of 11 liters of pure alcohol per person per year.

Aleksandra Penza explains that the increase in the number of sick leaves may result not only from the larger scale of the problem, but also from growing awareness and willingness to disclose addictions:

Alcohol addiction is chronic and often leads to repeated episodes of incapacity for work.

Experts agree that the phenomenon of alcohol-related absenteeism requires a systemic response – not only from the health service, but also from employers and health policymakers. Michał Pajdak summarizes:

Without implementing real actions such as education, workplace prevention and access to therapy, the system will only record the problem rather than counteract it.