Six per cent of Flemish workers fall ill on holiday and must reschedule leave
More employees are reporting sick while on vacation, forcing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to rearrange work schedules and reschedule leave. According to a new survey by HR service provider SD Worx, six per cent of employees at Flemish SMEs fell ill during their holidays in 2025, double the rate recorded in Brussels, where the figure is three per cent. On average, this translates to five vacation days that must be taken later in the year.
Since a 2024 legal amendment, employees who become sick during their vacation can reclaim those days, provided they report the illness immediately, submit a valid medical certificate and inform their employer if they are staying at a different address. The originally planned vacation days are then reclassified as sick leave, preserving the employee’s right to full holiday time.
“The measure ensures that vacation remains true rest time,” said Anneleen Verstraeten, SME expert at SD Worx. “But it also requires clear agreements between employers and staff to keep the administrative side manageable.”
Differences between sectors
The survey, conducted among 523 Belgian SMEs in September 2025, shows that one in three Flemish SMEs has already encountered employees falling ill during vacation, a sharp rise from one in five a year earlier.
The phenomenon is particularly pronounced among companies employing primarily manual workers, with nearly half (47 per cent) reporting at least one such case this year. Among firms with mainly office staff, the figure is lower, at 27 per cent. For SMEs employing a mix of both groups, the rate stands at 36 per cent.
The size of the company is also a contributing factor. While only about a quarter of the smallest SMEs have encountered this issue, the proportion rises to more than seven in ten for firms with over 50 employees.
Impact on workforce planning
Illness during leave has a tangible impact on planning and staffing. On average, employees recover five vacation days to be taken later or eight days among manual workers, compared with four among office staff. All recovered days must be scheduled before the end of the year, which can cause logistical strain, especially in smaller teams.
“For SMEs with tight schedules, five or even eight additional leave days per person can be a real challenge,” Verstraeten noted. “Early coordination helps avoid bottlenecks."
Despite the upward trend, the median figure remains zero, meaning that in at least half of Flemish SMEs, no one reports sick during their holidays. Still, SD Worx warns that the issue is no longer marginal. As awareness of the right to reclaim sick vacation days grows, more employers will need to prepare for rescheduling requests and adjust their absence policies accordingly.
#FlandersNewsService | © PHOTO IMAGEBROKER
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