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The Response of Firms to Maternity Leave and Sickness Absence

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  • Schmutte, Ian M.

    (University of Georgia)

  • Skira, Meghan

    (University of Georgia)

Abstract

We study how firms respond to predictable, but uncertain, worker absences arising from maternity and non-work-related sickness leave. Using administrative data on over 1.5 million spells of leave in Brazil, we identify the short-run effects of a leave spell starting on firms' employment, hiring, and separations. Firms respond immediately by increasing hiring, but the increase is substantially less than one-for-one replacement. Hiring responses are more pronounced for absences arising in occupations with more transferable skills and in firms operating in thicker labor markets. Overall, our results imply that using external markets is costly and firms manage absences through other channels.

Suggested Citation

  • Schmutte, Ian M. & Skira, Meghan, 2022. "The Response of Firms to Maternity Leave and Sickness Absence," IZA Discussion Papers 15336, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp15336
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    Cited by:

    1. Hoey, Sam & Peeters, Thomas & van Ours, Jan C., 2023. "The impact of absent co-workers on productivity in teams," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    2. Irene Ferrari & Jan Kabátek & Todd Morris, 2023. "Longer careers: A barrier to hiring and coworker advancement?," Cahiers de recherche / Working Papers 14, Institut sur la retraite et l'épargne / Retirement and Savings Institute.
    3. Bamieh, Omar & Ziegler, Lennart, 2023. "Gender-age differences in hiring rates and prospective wages—Evidence from job referrals to unemployed workers," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    4. Rettl, Daniel A. & Schandlbauer, Alexander & Trandafir, Mircea, 2022. "Employee Health and Firm Performance," IZA Discussion Papers 15147, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Mathias Huebener & Jonas Jessen & Daniel Kuehnle & Michael Oberfichtner, 2022. "Parental Leave, Worker Substitutability, and Firms' Employment," Berlin School of Economics Discussion Papers 0007, Berlin School of Economics.
    6. Bennedsen, Morten & Larsen, Birthe & Schmutte, Ian M. & Scur, Daniela, 2023. "The effect of preserving job matches during a crisis," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    7. Canaan, Serena & Lassen, Anne Sophie & Rosenbaum, Philip & Steingrimsdottir, Herdis, 2022. "Maternity Leave and Paternity Leave: Evidence on the Economic Impact of Legislative Changes in High Income Countries," IZA Discussion Papers 15129, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    employment determination; hires; job turnover; maternity leave; sick leave;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • J63 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Turnover; Vacancies; Layoffs
    • J68 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Public Policy
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth

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