From large corporations like the brewer Damm, Cacaolat, or the listed company Repsol, to the public company TMB, Catalan firms are implementing measures to reward employees who do not fall ill or penalize those who take sick leave. These clauses are proliferating in the labor market, aiming to condition part of the remuneration on attendance.
The business and union organizations signing this agreement express concern about the indicators of temporary disability derived from common contingencies. In this sense, we want to establish lines of action that improve the health of workers.
Practices vary: some companies, such as the supermarket chain Mercadona, cut 100% of the salary during sick leave if it exceeds the usual time or if the employee is absent more than 2% of the annual working hours. Others, like Urbaser (street cleaning in Barcelona), offer an “attendance supplement” that can reach 400 gross euros annually if no days are missed.
According to INE data, about 190,000 workers in Catalonia are absent one day a week due to temporary disability. These policies have a significant impact, as the latest survey by the Generalitat indicates that more than half of Catalans have chosen to go to work while sick to avoid the economic consequences of taking time off.
