This prospective cohort study (PRIME post-COVID, Netherlands) compared workforce exit, absenteeism, presenteeism, work incapacity, and financial strain over two years among adults with Post-COVID-19 Condition (PCC), those who recovered from COVID-19, and those who never had PCC — all employed as of 2022 and followed through 2024.
Two-year workforce exit was 17% in PCC (n=790) vs. 10% in Recovered (n=437) and 9% in Never PCC (n=2,115). Absenteeism and presenteeism were up to 3× higher in PCC and 2× higher in Recovered vs. Never PCC. Work incapacity among non-employed participants was 46% (PCC), 17% (Recovered), and 12% (Never PCC); financial strain reached 54% in non-employed PCC vs. 19% in employed Never PCC.
Self-reported outcomes may introduce bias; participants required a positive COVID-19 test and online access, which may limit generalizability; no pre-infection baseline work productivity data were available.
Adults with PCC face nearly double the workforce exit rate and up to triple the productivity loss compared to peers without PCC — clinicians should proactively screen for work incapacity and financial strain and connect patients to occupational and rehabilitation support.
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