OBJECTIVES To assess the indirect costs of RA, CD and Ps in an employed population in Poland. METHODS Data on presenteeism and absenteeism related with analyzed diagnoses were collected in a cross-sectional study from patients of ambulatory specialist care around Poland (30 rheumatology, 30 dermatology and 29 gastroenterology centers). Lost productivity was measured with Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) questionnaire and patients’ disease activity was assessed on standardized, disease specific scales (DAS28, PASI, and CDAI). 328 (RA), 460 (Ps), 256 (CD) working patients were included in the analyses conducted separately for each diagnosis. Unit cost of lost productivity was estimated using 2012 GDP per worker per hour corrected for diminishing marginal productivity and added up to PLN 33.18. RESULTS Mean age of M2W respondents was 36 for CD, 42 for Ps and 46 for RA patients (only patients in productive age – 18-60/65 were included in the study). Ps patients had dominantly (54%) low disease activity, in RA group mostly (51%) the moderate activity was observed, while the most frequent disease activity category for CD patients was remission (39%). Mean annual cost of overall work impairment (presenteeism and absenteeism cost together) amounted to PLN 29 727 for RA, PLN 24 434 for Ps and PLN 23 682 for CD. Cost of loss of productivity due to RA ranged from PLN 15 069 for patients in remission to PLN 41 296 for highly active disease. For Ps it was respectively PLN 13 846 and PLN 44 009 and for CD PLN 15 543 and PLN 63 771. CONCLUSIONS Productivity loss among workers with CD, Ps and RA generates significant costs for society which rises with disease activity.