The chart illustrates a notable increase in work absences across the EU and selected countries from Q4 2019 to Q1 2020. France, Sweden, Austria, and Denmark, identified as having the highest rates of absences, show significant rises. France experienced a jump from 13% to 17%, while Sweden saw an increase from 16% to 18%. Austria and Denmark also reported substantial increases, with Austria rising from 12% to 17% and Denmark from 13% to 16%. The EU average rose from 10% to 13%. This trend likely reflects the early impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which began affecting Europe in early 2020. The data suggests that Sweden, despite its unique approach to the pandemic, still saw a rise in absences, indicating that even countries with less stringent lockdowns were not immune to disruptions. The uniformity in the increase across these diverse countries highlights the widespread impact of the pandemic on employment and work attendance. This data provides a snapshot of the early economic disruptions caused by the pandemic, setting the stage for further analysis of its long-term effects on the labor market.
