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Sickness absence from work in Spain: are there gender differences?

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  • Alba, Alfonso
  • López-Mourelo, Elva

Abstract

We use a sample of social security records containing work histories and sick leave episodes to investigate gender differences in the incidence and duration of absence from work due to sickness in Spain. For sick leave incidence we apply a competing risk model to a panel of newly employed workers who can be followed for two years until an episode of sick leave occurs or the job ends. For the duration of sick leave spells, we estimate a Weibull model. We distinguish between sick leave due to occupational illness or injury and sick leave due to common disease or accident. This distinction is important because only for the latter women have higher incidence and longer duration than men. In this respect, the presence of children under 3 years of age in the household becomes a significant explanatory factor.

Suggested Citation

  • Alba, Alfonso & López-Mourelo, Elva, 2017. "Sickness absence from work in Spain: are there gender differences?," UC3M Working papers. Economics 25937, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Departamento de Economía.
  • Handle: RePEc:cte:werepe:25937
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Andrea Ichino & Enrico Moretti, 2009. "Biological Gender Differences, Absenteeism, and the Earnings Gap," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 1(1), pages 183-218, January.
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    5. Paringer, Lynn, 1983. "Women and Absenteeism: Health or Economics?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 73(2), pages 123-127, May.
    6. Allen, Steven G, 1981. "An Empirical Model of Work Attendance," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 63(1), pages 77-87, February.
    7. Jessica Primoff Vistnes, 1997. "Gender Differences in Days Lost from Work Due to Illness," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 50(2), pages 304-323, January.
    8. Mastekaasa, Arne, 2000. "Parenthood, gender and sickness absence," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 50(12), pages 1827-1842, June.
    9. Leigh, J. Paul, 1991. "Employee and job attributes as predictors of absenteeism in a national sample of workers: The importance of health and dangerous working conditions," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 127-137, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Aysit Tansel & Halil Ibrahim Keskin, 2017. "Education Effects on Days Hospitalized and Days out of Work by Gender: Evidence from Turkey," Koç University-TUSIAD Economic Research Forum Working Papers 1721, Koc University-TUSIAD Economic Research Forum.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Sick leave;

    JEL classification:

    • J14 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped; Non-Labor Market Discrimination
    • J28 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Safety; Job Satisfaction; Related Public Policy
    • J81 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Standards - - - Working Conditions

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