The Anatomy of Absenteeism
Abstract
Based on comprehensive administrative register data from Norway, we examine the determinants of sickness absence behavior; in terms of employee characteristics workplace characteristics, panel doctor characteristics, and economic conditions. The analysis is based on a novel concept of a worker's steady state sickness absence propensity, computed from a multivariate hazard rate model designed to predict the incidence and the duration of sickness absence for all workers. Key conclusions are i) that most of the cross-sectional variation in absenteeism is caused by genuine employee heterogeneity; ii) that the identity of a person's panel doctor has a significant impact on absence propensity; iii) that sickness absence insurance is frequently certified for reasons other than sickness; and iv) that the recovery rate rises enormously just prior to the exhaustion of sickness insurance benefits.Download Info
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Paper provided by Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) in its series IZA Discussion Papers with number 4240.Length: 37 pages
Date of creation: Jun 2009
Date of revision:
Publication status: published in: Journal of Health Economics, 2011, 30 (2), 277-292
Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp4240
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Related research
Keywords: sickness absence; multivariate hazards; NPMLE; MMPH;Other versions of this item:
- Markussen, Simen & Røed, Knut & Røgeberg, Ole J. & Gaure, Simen, 2011. "The anatomy of absenteeism," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 277-292, March.
- C14 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Semiparametric and Nonparametric Methods: General
- C41 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics - - - Duration Analysis; Optimal Timing Strategies
- H55 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Social Security and Public Pensions
- I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
- J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:
- NEP-ALL-2009-07-03 (All new papers)
- NEP-HEA-2009-07-03 (Health Economics)
- NEP-LAB-2009-07-03 (Labour Economics)
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Citations
Blog mentions
As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:- ¿Funcionarán las medidas contra el absentismo en el sector público?
by Samuel Bentolila in Nada Es Gratis on 2012-05-22 06:00:37
Cited by:
- Westergård-Nielsen, Niels C. & Pertold, Filip, 2012. "Firm Insurance and Sickness Absence of Employees," IZA Discussion Papers 6782, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
- Nicolas R. Ziebarth & Martin Karlsson, 2009.
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- Fevang, Elisabeth & Hardoy, Inés & Røed, Knut, 2013. "Getting Disabled Workers Back to Work: How Important Are Economic Incentives?," IZA Discussion Papers 7137, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
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