Types of contracts and worker absenteeism in Colombia

This study explores absenteeism in the context of uncertain employment conditions. The authors use data from the large scale Encuesta Continua de Hogares (Continuous Household Survey) for Colombia. The results support the main hypothesis that people with written contracts are more likely to be absent from work than those with verbal contracts. Women are more likely to be absent from work than men, and the probability increases if the woman is married. People with lower levels of education are less likely to be absent than those with a college education, as are individuals working in smaller rather than larger companies. Individuals living in Bogotá, the capital city, are more likely to be absent than those in other regions. The authors discuss contributions as well as theoretical and practical implications of these findings.