© Tero Vesalainen | Dreamstime
Dreamstime L 137657769 6215051355e4d

More People had an Illness-related Work Absence in January

Feb. 22, 2022
Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates the number employees who missed work more was at a recent all-time high.

The numbers are in—and they’re concerning.

Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that in January 2022, about 3.6 million people didn’t work because of an illness, injury or medical problem or appointment.

The BLS notes that the number of workers who are absent or cut back hours regularly spikes form December through March, when cold and flu season peaks.

However, last month stands out because the numbers are the highest they’ve been during the pandemic. January 2022 also saw COVID-19 records shattered with more than 1 million cases reported on a single day in the U.S., largely attributed to the even more contagious and transmissible omicron variant.

Of the 129.7 million people who usually worked full time (defined as 35 hours or more), about 4.2 million (3.3%) were working part time in January 2022 because of an illness, injury or medical problem or appointment. This is one-tenth of a percent below the highest percentage, set in January 1978 with 3.4%.

Work absence data are obtained from the BLS’s Current Population Survey and are not seasonally adjusted.

More information can be found here.

About the Author

Nicole Stempak

Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

Sponsored Recommendations

July 16, 2025
Temporary workers play a vital role in a productive workforce. But does the responsibility for keeping them safe belong to the employer, the staffing agency, or both? This helpful...
June 23, 2025
Learn about lone working laws in the US, key hazards and risks, and get actionable advice on how to keep your lone workers safe.
June 23, 2025
Chemical substitution can quickly get messy, with unclear steps and the risk of swapping one hazard for another. This checklist helps you avoid costly mistakes, prioritize which...
June 23, 2025
A mature approach to health and safety means making safety a core part of your culture, where everyone plays a role and performance is measured by more than just numbers. In this...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EHS Today, create an account today!