Abstract
The aim of the study was to confirm whether employees insured with the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) are increasingly taking advantage of the right to sick leave and to prove that there is a relationship between sick leave and wages in individual voivodeships and sections of the national economy. The research was conducted based on data provided by ZUS and Statistics Poland. The analyses in the part concerning changes in sick leave usages were conducted in the period 2006-2023, while the part concerning the relationship between wages and sick leave in 2023. The analyses indicate a growing trend in sick leave, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. A relationship was also demonstrated between wages and the number of sickness absences and the number of days spent on it.