After a string of heated debates, Spain’s business lobby is finally putting concrete ideas on the table to curb chronic absenteeism. The Anged association – which counts giants like El Corte Inglés and Carrefour among its members – says missed work is costing its members about €240 million a year and wiping out 12.6 million work hours.
To tackle the problem, Anged wants health insurers to step in when public hospitals are overloaded, allowing them to run diagnostic tests early and even issue medical clear‑ances in specific cases. The proposal lines up with a similar call from PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo, hinting at a coordinated push to tighten sick‑leave rules across the country.