Calculation shows being sick is costly for both workers and employers in Latvia

DeskTime executive Matīss Kokins has shared calculations on LinkedIn illustrating how costly being sick actually is in Latvia — both for employees and for the companies that employ them.

No pay for the first sick day

In Latvia, employees receive no compensation for their first day of illness, neither from their employer nor from the state. Kokins points out that for someone earning close to the national average wage, this single day can mean losing almost 70 euros in income. As a result, many people experiencing early symptoms of illness choose to go to work rather than stay home.

Survey figures reveal widespread worry

Kokins cites statistics showing that 70% of people in Latvia admit to having worked while sick. A further 39% say they fear that being ill could jeopardize their job. This suggests that going to work sick is often less a personal choice than a financial necessity people calculate for themselves.

Reduced output costs more than time off

A study validated using World Health Organization methodology, referenced by Kokins, found that the average employee spends about 57.5 days a year working at significantly reduced capacity due to illness — compared with just 4 days actually taken as sick leave. As a result, a sick employee who keeps working at their computer costs a company roughly ten times more than the same employee resting and recovering at home.

An example from DeskTime

Kokins notes that his own company, DeskTime, has introduced nine paid wellness days per year that employees can use without needing to justify or prove anything. His observation is that often just one day off is enough for someone to recover — physically or mentally — and return to work at full capacity, rather than struggling through an entire week at a fraction of their normal output while risking spreading illness to colleagues.