On 2 November 2026 the newspaper Diari de Tarragona published the report «Los detectives de Tarragona están desbordados por el aumento del fraude en las bajas laborales» (in Spanish: "Tarragona's detectives are overwhelmed by the rise in sick leave fraud"), written by Raúl Cosano and Joel Medina, featuring Alejandro Álvarez, director of Indaga O'Callaghan.
Here is a summary of what we told the newspaper and, in our own words, what a company can do when it suspects a sick leave is not genuine.
What we told Diari de Tarragona
The report explains that the high number of medical leaves is leading many companies to hire private detectives to check whether the employee is really unable to work. At our office on Rambla Nova in Tarragona we see it every day:
"We are overwhelmed. Eight out of ten cases are employment-related."
— Alejandro Álvarez, Indaga O'Callaghan, in Diari de Tarragona (translated from Spanish)
Alejandro also explained why more and more companies turn to a detective: "For the company, we are very cost-effective". A fraudulent sick leave means paying salary and social security contributions, reorganising the team and often hiring a replacement.
Source: Diari de Tarragona, 2 November 2026. Original text and photograph are the property of their authors. The header image is illustrative. Read the full report in Diari de Tarragona (Spanish)
Why has demand increased?
According to the report, since 2023 companies no longer receive the sick note with the diagnosis, for data protection reasons. The company knows the employee is on leave but not why, which makes it harder to judge whether an activity is compatible with their recovery.
When there are signs that something does not add up (another job during the leave, incompatible physical effort, trips...), a detective's report is one of the few legal ways to obtain evidence.
What can a company legally do?
Investigating a sick leave does not mean unlimited surveillance. Spain's Private Security Act 5/2014 allows licensed detectives to investigate conduct that affects the company, always respecting the employee's rights:
- Only what happens in public places, or is visible from them, is observed and documented.
- There is never any recording inside the home, nor access to medical data, communications or private profiles.
- There must be a legitimate interest: reasonable signs that the leave is being used fraudulently.
- The result is a detailed report that the detective can ratify before a judge.
Medical leave is an employee's right. Our job is not to question the illness, but to verify with facts whether their activity is compatible with it.
To learn about the most common reasons for, and consequences of, faked sick leave, read our article Fake sick leave in companies.
Do you suspect a fraudulent sick leave in your company?
Tell us about your case with no obligation. We will tell you whether there are grounds to investigate and how to do it within the law.
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